Why and When Do Snakes Bite? As is commonly known, snakes bite for two main reasons: to hunt and to defend. When snakes are on the offensive, they use their venom to immobilize and kill their prey.

Twenty of the 25 most ­venomous snakes on Earth are native to Australia. Here’s what to do if you get bitten.

For some people, their fear of snakes is biblical. But these reptiles are intriguing, specialized creatures worthy of study. For example, when a poisonous snake bites a rat, the complex soup of ...