People baffled trying to spot incredibly dangerous animal hiding in this picture

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People baffled trying to spot incredibly dangerous animal hiding in this picture

The venom of a Stephens' Banded snake, native to the East coast of Australia, is 'potentially fatal'

A photograph of a tree showing a 'deadly venomous Stephens' Banded snake' has social media users resolving they'd be 'dead' long before they realized it was there.

Despite everyone going off to Australia on year-long travels to 'find themselves', I've never had the desire to venture that side of the globe.

Why? Well, just take a look at this image - if you're one of the few who spot the problem with it that is.

Prepare for a new game to whip out at the next family dinner to cause arguments.

A Twitter user shared an image onto the platform of a tree in Maitland, Australia which shows a deadly snake hidden on its surface.

The snake in question? Why, just a deadly Hoplocephalus stephensii of course.

So you know where you should avoid any trees at all costs, the Hoplocephalus stephensii - also known as the Stephens' Banded snake' - is native to the east coast of Australia.

The snake is described by the Atlas of Living Australia as 'having a nervous and defensive temperament towards other animals' - *gulps* - and 'has been described as a ready biter' whose venom can prove 'potentially fatal' causing whoever it bites to exhibit 'excessive bleeding'.

Oh and 'no anti-venom' has since been created for the snake's juicy bite, although thankfully, victims have been 'successfully treated' using another snake's anti-venom.

As if matters couldn't get much worse, as the picture shared on social media proves, the snake is ridiculously clever at camouflaging itself and subsequently near-impossible to spot.

So much so, some remained convinced the image doesn't actually show any sort of deadly animal.

An image of a deadly snake on a tree has been circulating on social media, but can you spot it? (Twitter/ @tradingMaxiSL)
An image of a deadly snake on a tree has been circulating on social media, but can you spot it? (Twitter/ @tradingMaxiSL)

One Twitter user said: "That's a tree, sir."

"I don't see a thing there," a second wrote.

And as another user summed up, those people and themselves would indeed 'be dead' as a result.

They said: "Wow, took me forever to see it. I'd be dead."

"Guess I'm dead I don't even see it!!" another echoed.

"I’m really good at spotting these things and I swore there was no snake in this picture. Until one of our friends pointed it out I’d have argued it was clickbait," a fifth added.

If you needed some help (Twitter)
If you needed some help (Twitter)

A sixth commented: "This is very scary. I found the snake after two minutes."

And a seventh resolved: "Don't hug trees in Australia. Got it."

So, did you manage to spot it?

Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@tradingmaxisl/Getty/Ivan Pantic

Topics: Animals, Social Media, Twitter, Nature, Australia, Travel