Bad Bites 02 - Coral Snakes

First of I extend my gratitude to reptile expert Jack Facente for his participation in this program. His generous help, knowledge and wisdom made it possible to shine a light into the life of these reclusive yet wonderful animals. Coral snakes are extremely venomous, yet very secretive snakes, belonging to the family of elapids, which includes cobras, mambas and kraits. They are most notable for their red, yellow to white, and black colored banding. Coral snakes are native to North America such as the eastern or common coral snake, the Texas coral snake and the Arizona coral snake, found in the southern and western United States. Coral snakes can be found in other parts of the world which can have distinctly different patterns. Most species of coral snake are small in size. The North American species average around 3 feet (91 cm) in length, but specimens of up to 5 feet (150 cm) or slightly larger have been reported. Aquatic species have flattened tails acting as a fin, aiding in swimming.