Deadly snake proves nearly impossible to spot…but it's there

USA Today

27-01-2025

Editor's note: A version of this post was first published on Feb. 1, 2021.
An expert snake catcher puzzled his audience on Facebook by posting an image of a venomous snake and asked if anyone could spot it among an assortment of foliage, much of it small trees, limbs, sticks and twigs that look as if they could be a snake.
Stuart McKenzie of Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers in Australia added a second challenge to the mix by giving 'bonus points' if you could name the species.
Can you spot the deadly snake? Most could not. Check out the bigger photo on Facebook.
Here are just a few of the more than 900 responses, some that came with screenshots with the snake circled (erroneously, we might add):
'Nope! Can't see it…no bushwalking for me.'
'Straight up the back tree.' [Wrong]
'Just below the fork on the long branch on the ground, I think.' [Wrong]
'I tried to circle it, but all you can see really is the tail, it seems.' [Wrong]
Also on FTW Outdoors: Can you spot the lion out in the open staring at tourists?
'Did anyone actually find a snake or is this all just a joke??'
'Snake or stick, mate?'
'I can't see no snake, but they are notoriously sneaky critters so there could be one anywhere!!!'
'I can't see it.'
'I'm so confused I'm seeing snakes everywhere now.'
'Yep, I see sticks, leaves, trees and by this stage I'd be dead because I still wouldn't have seen it or felt it. I've been looking at everyone's answer and bugger me, nothing.'
Though it didn't seem as if anyone spotted it, there were these guesses as to the species:
Ghonas snake.
Tiger snake.
Mulger snake.
Green snake.
Brown snake.
Python.
Copperhead.
Viper.
Well, actually, it's a yellow-faced whip snake and, no, it's not a joke. The snake is actually in the photo. Here's one look:
McKenzie helped with an even closer look:
The yellow-faced whip snake belongs to a species of venomous snakes in the Elapidae family, one containing many dangerous snakes. They grow to 31-47 inches and are said to be active during the day, fast-moving and common throughout Australia.
They are also very hard to spot.