[Amazing] 25 Of The World’s Most Venomous Snakes
Have you ever been bitten by a snake or know someone who has? We hope you haven’t. Some of the most dangerous bites are known to come from snakes. Although not all snake are venomous, the ones that are may have the potential to inflict a death sentence within 30 minutes. This is the power of some of the world’s most venomous snakes.
They can be anywhere, from the arid deserts of Australia to the tropical backyards of Florida residents. Those who are unfortunate enough to be bitten by snakes have described agonizing symptoms such as difficulty breathing, vomiting and nausea; numbness, and organ failure. It’s a relatively painful way of dying. And even though we have developed anti-venom which has been responsible for the survival of many; if not treated, bites from venomous snakes can still claim lives. From the Russell’s Viper to the Black Mamba, these are 25 of the world’s most venomous Snakes.
And just to be clear, most if not all venomous snakes are not out to get you. More often than not, they just want to be left alone. A desire that you should heed if you ever come across one. That is, if you value your life.
Jararaca
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The Jararaca is the best-known venomous snake in the wealthy and heavily populated areas of southeastern Brazil, where it was responsible for fifty-two percent (3,446 cases) of snakebites between 1902 and 1945 (with a 0.7 percent fatality rate. That’s 25 deaths).
Viper
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Viper snakes are considered some of the most venomous reptiles in the world and they eat small animals (rats, for example), which they hunt by striking and envenomating with their deadly, paralyzing venom.
Western Green Mamba
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The western green mamba is a very alert, nervous, and extremely agile snake that lives mainly in the coastal tropical rain forest, thicket, and woodland regions of western Africa. Like all the other mambas, the western green one is a highly venomous elapid species and its bite can kill several humans in a short period of time if it goes untreated.
Eastern Green Mamba
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Like other species of mamba, the eastern green mamba is highly venomous; a single bite can contain enough venom to kill several people. The venom acts on the nerves, heart, and muscles, and spreads quickly through tissue. Bites rapidly progress to life-threatening symptoms characteristic of mamba bites, which include swelling of the bite area, dizziness, nausea, difficulty breathing and swallowing, irregular heartbeat, convulsions, and eventual respiratory paralysis.
Many-banded Krait
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Based on several LD50 studies, the many-banded krait is among the most venomous land snakes in the world. The species was first described by the scientist Edward Blyth in 1861, and since then it has been recognized as one of the most dangerous snakes to human beings.
Bothrops Asper
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Sometimes referred to as the “ultimate pit viper,” these snakes are found in a wide range of lowland habitats, often near human habitations. Its proximity to human habitats is likely the reason why it is considered more dangerous to humans, even though its venom isn’t as lethal as that of other snakes. This species is the main cause of snakebite incidents where it lives.
Russell’s Viper
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The Russell’s viper is one of the most dangerous snakes in all Asia, accounting for thousands of deaths each year. Once bitten, people experience a wide variety of symptoms including pain, swelling, vomiting, dizziness, and kidney failure.
Forest Cobra
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Not as notorious as its Indian “cousin,” this species is still very alert, nervous, and is considered a very dangerous snake. When it feels threatened, it will assume the typical cobra warning posture by raising the front of its body off the ground, spreading a narrow hood, and hissing loudly. Bites to humans are less common than for other African cobras due to various factors, though a bite from this species is a life-threatening emergency.
Coastal Taipan
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The coastal taipan is often regarded as the most dangerous snake in Australia. They are extremely nervous and alert, and any movement near them is likely to trigger an attack. Like any snake, the taipan prefers to avoid conflict and will quietly slip away if given the chance; however, if surprised or cornered it will ferociously defend itself and its venom will most likely kill within a few minutes.
Dubois’s Sea Snake
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This treacherous swimming snake is found from the coasts of western and northern Australia to the islands of New Guinea and New Caledonia. Although the Dubois’s sea snake has one of the deadliest venoms known, its bite—thank God!—delivers less than one-tenth of a milligram, which is usually not enough to kill a human.
Eyelash Viper
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A typical ambush predator, the eyelash viper waits patiently for unsuspecting prey to wander by. Sometimes it is known to select a specific ambush site and return to it every year in time for the spring migration of birds. Studies have indicated that these snakes learn to improve their strike accuracy over time, while there are rumors among villagers in parts of South America that this snake will wink, flashing its eyelashes at its victim, following a venomous strike.
Boomslang
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Many venomous members of the family Colubridae—to which the boomslang belongs—are harmless to humans because of small venom glands and inefficient fangs. However, the boomslang is a notable exception in that it has a highly potent venom, which it delivers through large fangs located at the back of its jaw. Boomslangs are able to open their jaws up to 170° when biting, releasing bigger amounts of venom, which usually kills the victim from internal or even external bleeding.
Coral Snake
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A bite from the notoriously venomous eastern coral snake at first seems anticlimactic. There is little or no pain or swelling, and other symptoms can be delayed for twelve hours. However, if untreated by antivenin, the neurotoxin begins to disrupt the connections between the brain and the muscles, causing slurred speech, double vision, and muscular paralysis, eventually ending in respiratory or cardiac failure.
Gwardar or Western Brown Snake
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The western brown snake, or gwardar, is a species of very fast, highly venomous elapid snake native to Australia. Its color and pattern are rather variable, depending largely on its location, but its venom and the fatal damage it causes its victims (including humans) is standard.
Saw-Scaled Viper
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Saw-scaled vipers are small but their irritability, aggressive nature, and lethal venom make them very dangerous. They are usually quick to strike and mortality rates for those bitten are high. In the regions where they live (Africa, Arabia, Southwest Asia), it is believed that saw-scaled vipers are responsible for more human deaths than all other snake species combined.
Rattlesnake
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Even though rattlesnake bites are rarely fatal to humans when given proper medical treatment (including antivenin), its bites are some of the most frequent among all snakes. The greatest concentration of them is in the Southwest and northern Mexico, while Arizona is home to thirteen species of rattler, more than any other state.
Indian Cobra
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Arguably the most popular snake in the world, this highly venomous snake feeds on rodents, lizards, and frogs. As well as biting, the Indian cobra can attack or defend itself from a distance by “spitting” venom, which, if it enters the opponent’s eyes, causes severe pain and damage.
Black Mamba
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Black mambas are fast, nervous, lethally venomous, and when threatened, highly aggressive. They have been blamed for numerous human deaths, and African myths exaggerate their capabilities to legendary proportions. For these reasons, the black mamba is widely considered the world’s deadliest snake.
Tiger Snake
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Native to Australia, tiger snakes have a truly fearsome reputation all over the country, where they are considered some of the most dangerous predators of human beings. This species is much maligned because of its aggressive nature and toxic venom; however, the tiger snake should be recognized as a great survivor, superbly adapted to some of the most inhospitable environments in Australia.
Blue Krait
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The blue krait that we often meet in Thailand is considered one of the most dangerous snakes in the world, since more than fifty percent of all bites from it result in death—even with the administration of antivenin (anti-venom).
Eastern Brown Snake
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This snake is considered the world’s second most venomous land snake based on its LD50 value (a measure of the lethal dose of a toxin) in mice. It is native to Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia, where it has often spread deadly terror to human beings.
Death Adder
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The common death adder is a species of death adder native to Australia. It is one of the most venomous land snakes in Australia and globally. Unlike other snakes, the common death adder lies in wait for its prey—often for many days—until a meal passes. It covers itself with leaves like a commando, and when its prey approaches, the death adder quickly strikes, injecting its venom, and then waits for the victim to die before eating it.
Philippine Cobra
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Among all cobra species, toxicology experts claim the Philippine cobra possibly possesses the most toxic venom. One bite from this deadly spitting cobra can kill a human within a half hour. Its venom has the deadly ability to interrupt the transmission of nerve signals and to cripple respiratory systems, a fact that makes it one of the deadliest and most venomous snakes in the world.
Inland Taipan
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The impressive thing about this snake isn’t just how venomous it is but how fast it bites. It usually kills its prey with a series of rapid accurate strikes, with which it manages to inject its extremely toxic venom deep into the rodent. Its venom is unequaled in toxicity among any snake anywhere in the world.
Belcher’s Sea Snake
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According to many experts, the Belcher’s sea snake’s venom is about a hundred times more toxic than any other snake’s in the world. Just to give you an idea how toxic, one drop of venom from a King Cobra is powerful enough to kill well over 150 people, while only a few milligrams of the Belcher’s sea snake’s venom can kill over one thousand people. The good thing is that this snake is considered to be very timid and would take a lot of provoking to get it to bite you.
