The most poisonous snake in the history of the earth. The most poisonous snakes in the world

Today we will talk about the most dangerous snakes in the World

Snakes are one of the most mysterious and complex creatures on earth; some consider them incredibly beautiful and dangerous, others consider them vile, scary, disgusting, useless animals. The serpent, according to biblical legends, was the wisest animal before the fall of man, after which it began to crawl on its belly and eat dust. Snakes perform mainly sanitary functions by eating rodents, but many of them are poisonous to humans.

“More than 2,500 species of snakes live on our planet. They can be found everywhere except Antarctica and a few islands, such as New Zealand and Ireland, and they are also not found on the small islands of the Atlantic and Pacific (its central part) oceans. However, among all the snake diversity, only 10% are poisonous."

Of the more than 2,500 species of snakes, 410 are venomous.“They differ from each other not only in their structure and way of life, but also in the chemical composition of the poison and its effect on a living organism. Official statistics state that up to 50,000 people die from snakebites every year.”

The most actively populated by dangerous snakes are countries, regions, continents, where tropics, heat, mountains, and jungles abound. For example, in the vicinity of Brazil there is an island called “Snake”.

“Snake Island (located off the coast of Brazil)

The most dangerous poisonous snakes on the continent are found here. For example, spearheads - one bite from a snake of this species leads to instant tissue death and death.

According to statistics, the number of poisonous snakes ranges from 1 to 5 individuals per square meter of Zmeiny Island. Therefore, visiting the island is officially prohibited. But still, every year there are extreme sportsmen...”

There are only a few species of venomous snakes found in Russia, mainly in the North Caucasus. In the rest of Russia you can find vipers and copperheads. Their bites are usually non-fatal, but there are rare fatal cases. In general, death from a viper bite occurs about as often as from a hornet bite, and mostly not from poison, but from anaphylactic shock.

In the North Caucasus you can find such poisonous snakes as the copperhead (three species), the viper (six species), the viper, and the tiger snake.

Pictured: Cottonmouth

Viper in the photo

In the photo is Gyurza

“The viper is a representative of the genus of giant vipers and is capable of reaching a length of two meters, it is the largest representative of the genus of vipers. For humans, such a snake is the most dangerous.

In terms of its toxicity, the venom of the viper is perhaps second only to that of the cobra, while during defense, the snake is able to jump the length of its own body towards the enemy.

The bite of such a snake is accompanied by severe pain, vomiting and dizziness; just one such bite contains up to 50 milligrams of poison. If help is not provided on time, then within two to three hours the person will die.”

In addition to infecting the victim with venom, snakes are capable of killing and harming the victim in other ways.

For example, in the tropical rivers of South America and Brazil, the anaconda is found, we have seen it in horror films and in videos with wildlife, where a snake swallows animals alive by a crocodile.

This is the largest snake of known modern snakes, even the weight of females can reach 100 kg, length 5-6 meters.

In the photo there is an anaconda

Contrary to the horrors described and shown, the anaconda rarely attacks a person, however, cases of attack and murder of people have still been recorded.

Boas, for example, squeeze the victim, tying it with rings and squeezing the chest or throat.

There are a lot of snakes that infect the victim directly with poison; let’s look at the most dangerous of them.

The first places are shared by the fierce snake, taipan, tiger snake, and sand epha.

I’ll tell you right away about the most beautiful of them:

“The spectacled snake, or Indian cobra (lat. Naja naja) is a very beautiful motley snake, growing up to 1.5-2 meters in length. Lives in India, Central Asia, Southern China (to the Philippines and the islands of the Malay Archipelago).

The photo shows a spectacled snake

The offspring of this cobra are poisonous from the very first minutes after birth. The venom of the spectacled cobra contains toxins that cause damage to the central nervous system. Just one gram of poison can kill 140 medium-sized dogs.”

Pictured is a Malayan krait

“The Malayan krait (lat. Bungarus candidus) is a very dangerous snake from the adder family. Extremely unfriendly. It lives in Australia, South Asia and the islands of the Malay Archipelago.

Its poison is fatal and primarily affects the human brain. Death can occur quickly and even without paralytic symptoms.”

I must say, in general, asps are all beautiful, from the outside... Asps are a large family of poisonous snakes, which includes 347 species, grouped into 61 genera, including mambas and cobras.

“In general, neurotoxins predominate in the venom of slate snakes, which gives a characteristic clinical picture when bitten. Local phenomena in the area of ​​the bite almost do not develop (there is no swelling or redness), but death quickly occurs due to depression of the nervous system, primarily paralysis of the respiratory center. The bite of large adders, such as cobras, poses a mortal danger to humans.”

In the photo there is a harlequin adder

“The harlequin, or eastern adder (lat. Micrurus fulvius) is a poisonous snake that lives in northeastern Mexico and the southeastern part of the United States. The owner of a bright color with characteristic red, black and narrow yellow rings.

The bite of this snake is very dangerous to human life. If help is not provided in time, a person can die within 20-24 hours.”

Adders also include the most poisonous land snake - the cruel snake (although a number of scientists, according to recent studies, call the tiger snake and others the taipan the most dangerous).

The photo shows a cruel snake

“On average, 44 mg of venom is obtained from one snake - this dose is enough to kill 100 people or 250,000 mice. With a semi-lethal dose of 0.01 mg/kg, its venom is approximately 180 times stronger than that of a cobra. However, unlike the coastal taipan, the fierce snake is less aggressive; all documented cases of bites were the result of careless handling” (Wikipedia).

The taipan is perhaps not as beautiful as the harlequin adder, but more dangerous; it is one of the most dangerous and aggressive snakes in the world; every second person bitten dies, despite the use of the serum:

“The coastal taipan or simply Taipan (lat. Oxyuranus scutellatus) is one of the most poisonous snakes in the world.

Pictured is a taipan.

The taipan is very aggressive and fast: when it sees danger, it raises its head, shaking it, then strikes the enemy several times in a row with lightning speed. A taipan bite can lead to death in 4-12 hours, while a person bitten by other most poisonous snakes lives for about a day.

In Queensland, where taipans are most common, despite the invention of the serum, every second bitten person still dies.

Because of its aggressive nature, large size and speed, the taipan is considered the most dangerous of all venomous snakes in the world, although the strength of its venom is somewhat weaker than that of the desert taipan, a fierce snake.”

Mulga in the photo

Mulga or brown king (lat. Pseudechis australis) is a dangerous snake from the adder family. In terms of toxicity, its venom is second only to that of the taipan and tiger snake, but this is successfully compensated for by its large quantity: at one time the mulga is capable of releasing up to 150 mg of venom. Moreover, this snake is in no hurry to immediately release the victim, but holds it with its long teeth, injecting new portions of poison.

The black mamba (also a snake) is common in Africa, one of the fastest snakes, reaching speeds of over 11 km per hour (yes, that's fast for a snake).

Pictured is a black mamba

“The snake has the sad reputation of being extremely dangerous, the bite of which, before the advent of antidotes, invariably led to death. However, it is not aggressive and avoids human contact whenever possible, only attacking when caught off guard or cornered.

The poison is highly toxic and contains neurotoxins, primarily dendrotoxins, which, in the absence of an antidote, lead to paralysis and respiratory arrest. There are known cases where death occurred within 45 minutes after the bite.”

“Adult specimens reach a length of 2.5 meters, although there are cases of sad encounters with mambas of 4 meters in length. The black mamba owes its name not to the color of its body (it varies), but to the inky color of its mouth.

This reptile is very fast, reaching speeds of up to 20 km/h. After the first “tip,” the mamba tries to sting several more times, and if the poisonous tooth gets into a vein, all is lost. Mambas often love garbage dumps in African villages, which makes ordinary garbage disposal a very extreme activity.”

This is one of the 20 most dangerous snakes on the planet. A dose of 15-29 mg is enough to kill an adult, but the black mamba injects 100-400 mg of poison at a time.

If a person is bitten on a limb, a person has a couple of hours; with timely assistance (injection of serum into the blood), there is a 99% chance of recovery; if the bite is in the face, there is only 20-30 minutes.

The photo shows a green mamba

The green mamba is an insidious snake, it is also nicknamed the “green devil”. The color of its color is very beautiful, from light green to bright green, the length of an adult is about 1.5 m. There are fewer cases of death from green mamba bites than from black mamba bites, but the green mamba attacks very unexpectedly, on its own, and for no apparent reason, there have been cases when she was waiting for people on tree branches while harvesting tea plantations and fell by the collar from above, inflicting a fatal blow. It happened that a person’s death occurred in a couple of minutes, not that they didn’t have time to administer the serum - they didn’t have time to understand what happened.

Death snakes are also a subspecies of adders.

The photo shows a deadly snake

« Deadly snakes (lat. Acanthophis) are a genus of Australian very poisonous snakes, consisting of 3-5 species. They are among the most poisonous snakes on the planet. The name is translated from Greek as “thorny snake.”

The venom of deadly snakes is extremely toxic - enough venom can be obtained from one snake to kill 2,285 mice. When bitten, a deadly snake injects 70-100 mg of venom (LD50 for mice 0.4-0.5 mg/kg). The venom is almost exclusively neurotoxic and is 1.5 times stronger than the venom of the cobra (Naja naja).

Unlike most Australian adder bites, symptoms of poisoning develop slowly, peaking 24-48 hours after the bite. However, before the development of a special serum, half of the recorded cases died from bites of these snakes. The deadly snake Acanthophis antarcticus is the 10th most venomous land snake in the world.”

There is a common misconception that the most poisonous and dangerous snake is the cobra, in particular the king cobra. This is wrong.

“King cobra venom is primarily neurotoxic. The venom toxin blocks muscle contractions, which causes paralysis of the respiratory muscles, respiratory arrest and death. Its strength and volume (up to 7 ml) are enough to cause the death of a person within 15 minutes after the first full bite. In such cases, the probability of death may exceed 75%.

But, taking into account all the behavioral features of the king cobra, in general, only 10% of bites become fatal to humans. In India, deaths from king cobra bites are rare, despite the fact that up to 50 thousand people die from poisonous snake bites in the country every year.

Pictured is a king cobra

The king cobra is a very patient snake. If a person finds himself at close range with this snake, he should stand (or sit) at the level of its eyes, do not make sudden movements, breathe evenly and look at it calmly. After a few minutes, the cobra will consider the person a harmless object and slip away.”

The sand epha, which usually has a body length of only 70-80 cm, is found in the foothills and valleys of Central Asia, throughout northern Africa to Algeria.

In the photo there is a sand faff

“If an efa bites, then the person is doomed, even if he survives, he will remain crippled forever. In Africa, more people die from its venom than from all African snakes combined.

Lives in lumpy sands overgrown with saxaul, in clay deserts, thickets of bushes, on river cliffs and in ruins. In favorable conditions, efa can be very numerous. For example, in the valley of the Murghab River, over an area of ​​about 1.5 km, snake catchers produced more than 2 thousand eff in 5 years.”

“The mortality rate for poisoning with epha poisons is about 20%. The use of serum reduces it to 2.5%. According to David Worrell, the ephas is responsible for the largest number of deaths of any snake. Death from an ephas bite occurs at a “record” late date: within 3-41 days.”

The most poisonous snake living in the sea (according to some sources, the most poisonous in general) is Belchera; a drop of venom from one snake can kill a thousand people (for comparison, the venom of a tiger snake can kill 400 people, a cruel one - 100). True, the Belchera is peaceful and attacks only in extreme cases; death occurs within 1 minute.

Belcher's photo

There is a lot of debate among biologists and specialists about which snake is the most poisonous - some call the Belchera the most potentially poisonous, some say the efu, some say the taipan, a cruel snake.

Result:

“It is definitely difficult to answer which poisonous snake out of all their diversity is the most dangerous to humans. Why? Because not only the toxicity of the poison matters, but also the aggressiveness of the snake, the method of attack, the amount of poison injected during the bite, and the location of the teeth.

Putting all the factors together, scientists have identified the most dangerous snake on the planet - the sand epha for the following reasons:

• it has killed more people than all other poisonous snakes combined;
• every 5th person bitten dies even today, in the age of high medical technologies;
• If a person still survives, then he will have health problems for the rest of his life. Most often, the consequences of a sand ephas bite have a detrimental effect on the kidneys and liver.”

All snakes are cold-blooded, their body temperature is the same as that of the environment, they are not able to maintain body heat. “Cold, sometimes warm, sticky, slippery” - this is how those who had contact with them characterize the reptiles.

But the main thing is that snakes are always predators, and if some of them are not dangerous to people, they are dangerous to rodents.

Today, about two and a half thousand snakes can be found on Earth, but only 250 species pose a mortal danger. Every year, about five million people around the world suffer from their bites, 3 percent of those bitten die, and about 5% become disabled. Today we will tell our readers about the most dangerous and poisonous snakes that exist on earth.

What is the most poisonous snake in the world?

10.

In most cases, the poison will not cause danger, because very weak, but there have been cases when people died after a while. Therefore, if a bite occurs, you need to seek help, even if the location of the bite does not bother you.

9.

The poison is several times stronger than the venom of a viper and when it enters the bloodstream, it almost immediately destroys the cells of the body. Scientists conducted an experiment on ducks. After being bitten by this snake, they experienced paralysis within 1-2 minutes, and after 15 minutes they died. Most often they can be found in Africa, on branches and in bushes.

8. Oriental or harlequin asp

Dangerous to human life. If medical assistance is not provided within 24 hours after the bite, the likelihood of death is very high. Length from 90 to 100 cm, they can most often be found in the southern United States, feeding on insects and lizards.

7.

The next snake belongs to the viper family and is called Sandy Efa. It feeds on small rodents, sometimes birds, and most often lizards and scorpions. The average length is from 55 to 60 cm, in some cases reaching 75 cm.

6.

The snakes listed above are found on land, but this one can be found in the water. It is considered not aggressive, but even so its venom is 5-6 times stronger than the venom of a cobra. Capable of diving to a depth of one hundred meters and staying there without air for about five hours. You can meet her off the coast of India, the Arabian Sea and also on the islands of Madagascar.

5.

The venom is less toxic than that of previous snakes, but a larger amount of venom is injected when biting. It is less aggressive, in 80 percent of cases it stalks its prey in ambush.

4.

A very aggressive and poisonous snake; when bitten, 50 percent of people die, even if a special vaccine is used. You can find them in small burrows, bushes, and also in private houses, where they very often crawl. Habitat: South Asia and Australia.

3. Taipana - Oxyuranus scutellatus

One of the three most poisonous snakes on the planet. Its length ranges from three to 3.5 meters, and its large teeth, 1 cm long, inject such an amount of poison that the victim dies within a few minutes. Most often found in Australia.

2.

It ranks second in the ranking of the most poisonous snakes. The main food is small mammals. Also found in Australia, it is most often found in fields and dry plains. One bite can kill about a hundred people or a quarter of a million mice.

1. Tiger snake - the most poisonous snake in the world

She received this name because of her tiger coloring.

With one bite it can kill 400 people.

After the poison enters the blood, literally within a few seconds it paralyzes all nerve endings and the victim dies due to cardiac arrest.

It lives in Australia and mainly feeds on birds, frogs and mice.

One female can give birth to at least 50 baby snakes.

Up to two meters long.

The chance of a person surviving a bite is very small, but in any case it is necessary to seek help as soon as possible, or try to suck out the poison from the bite site yourself.

Every year, between 20,000 and 125,000 people die from snakebites. Today, this makes them the most dangerous group of vertebrates on our planet.

Almost all the TOPs of deadly animals on the planet are to some extent similar, only because of some criteria these animals are placed in different places of “fame”, this applies to the most dangerous snakes on earth. Other TOPs on various sites adhere to a more precise name as: “the most poisonous snakes in the world” and this is partially visible in our article about the most poisonous animals.

While it is obvious that the strength of snake venom is an important factor in the danger of these animals, there are other equally important things that are also worth considering. Let's look at the most poisonous snake, the inland (desert) taipan (lat. Oxyuranus microlepidotus). In fact, we didn't even mention this snake in our list of the most dangerous animals in Australia. Why? Well, first of all, no one has ever been killed by this snake. She lives in remote areas, is quite timid and doesn't really look for trouble.

On the other hand, the spectacled snake (Indian cobra) has a venom that is more than 30 times less potent than that of the desert taipan and, in addition, it continues to kill thousands of people every year. In our opinion, this makes the cobra a much more dangerous snake than the taipan and that is why you will find it on our list.

And if you think that only living snakes are dangerous, then you are mistaken, some snakes retain reflexes and are able to bite even after their death. This may actually be more dangerous as they lose the ability to regulate the venom they inject, which can result in a more venomous bite. Even the severed head of a snake is capable of this; remember that the snake’s venom is in the head and therefore in this state it can inject almost all the poison.

Video. Severed snake head

10. Viper-shaped death snake (lat. Acanthophis antarcticus)

Photo. Viper-shaped death snake

The very name “deadly snake” allows this snake to be in our TOP. However, the name actually means "deaf snakes", in the old days it was believed that they could not hear. The reason for this misconception was that unlike other snakes, which tend to slither away when a person approaches, the death viper snake does not. This is because they are ambush hunters, preferring to lie in wait and hunt their prey and therefore tend to move less.

Regardless of the origin of the snake's name, it is indeed a very dangerous snake. Its poison is one of the most powerful on earth and contains neurotoxins that can cause respiratory paralysis and subsequent death. Even when armed with such deadly venom, the deadly snake is considered one of the fastest snakes.

The deadly snake is found across much of Australia, where it is considered less dangerous than brown snakes. It is also found in Papua New Guinea and Western Indonesia, where they unfortunately live up to their name and kill a significant number of people every year.

9. Coastal taipan (lat. Oxyuranus scutellatus)

Photo. Coastal taipan

It may seem strange that the most venomous snake on the planet (the inland taipan) is not on this list, while its less venomous cousin, the coastal taipan, is. Although the venom of coastal taipans is the third most powerful among land snakes in terms of bite force, it is phenomenally dangerous to humans. Yes, admittedly one bite from this snake can kill over 200,000 mice, the Inland Taipan could theoretically kill over a million mice. But there are two important factors that make coastal taipans more dangerous: firstly, they live in less remote regions than the rarely seen inland taipans and secondly, coastal taipans have a more aggressive reputation.

When the coastal taipan feels the need to defend itself, it goes into full-scale attack mode. In more than 80% of bite cases, the person is injected with a large dose of venom, often as a result of repeated bites. During each of these quick bites, large amounts of venom can be injected. With the longest fangs of any venomous snake in Australia, taipans can inject a powerful neurotoxin very deeply into the victim's tissues. Another feature of the taipan is the potential pursuit of a person during an attack and during this it is able to maintain a high rate of movement.

Although other snakes may be listed in this TOP as less dangerous, none of them could come close to the taipan's bite speed and incurability. It is only since the discovery of antivenom in 1956 that coastal taipan bites have been effectively treated.

This poison acts very quickly, in some cases victims died within half an hour. It affects the nervous system, leading to complete paralysis, including the lungs (this can lead to death). The poison also prevents blood clotting, which causes internal bleeding, and it also contains a component that breaks down muscle tissue.

If these were the main trump cards of coastal taipans, they would probably top this TOP of the deadliest snakes. However, statistics say otherwise. There are snakes that kill tens of thousands of people every year, however, the taipan kills rarely in Australia and slightly more in Papua New Guinea. The coastal taipan venom serum was produced by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories in the 1950s. Apparently, without her, this list would look completely different.

Photo. American spearhead snake

Spearheads are a genus of snakes (Bothrops) found throughout Central and South America. Together they are responsible for the vast majority of fatal venomous snake bites in the region. These snakes often live in densely populated areas, they are fast and are described as excitable and unpredictable when they encounter a person.

Among this group of snakes, special mention must be made of the quaysack (Bothrops atrox), pit vipers (Bothrops asper) and the common jararaca (Bothrops jararaca). All of these large snakes reach a length of 2 m (6.5 ft) and have a powerful hemotoxic venom.

Unlike the previous two snakes, which have neurotoxic venom, the venom of spearhead snakes is hemotoxic. Obviously, no one in their right mind would want to be bitten by any snake on this list, but if such a choice had to be made, it would be better to go for a snake bite with neurotoxic venom. Hemotoxic poison destroys blood cells, tissues and human organs. As you can imagine this is extremely painful and can cause permanent damage. Bites from such a snake often lead to the necessary amputation of a limb, even after surgical treatment.

The bite of spearhead snakes results in local swelling and pain, often accompanied by blisters and swelling. Common symptoms are usually: internal hemorrhage, bleeding from the gums, eyes, etc. Although this can result in fatal shock, death can also occur as a result of kidney failure.

Photo. The dying leg of a 13-year-old girl after being bitten by a spearhead snake

And as some evidence of the hemotoxic effect of the venom of spear-headed snakes, we present a case that occurred in Venezuela in 2014. A 13-year-old girl in a rural area was bitten on the leg by a suspected Bothrops pirajai, initially she was treated locally for a month (given antibiotics), but when the situation got out of control, she was transported to Caracas. Doctors had no other option but to amputate the leg. The necrosis has led to a condition called rhabdomyolysis, where muscle tissue begins to die throughout the body. Rhabdomyolysis can lead to kidney damage, which when combined with low blood pressure can lead to kidney failure and even death if left untreated, said the Venezuelan doctor who operated on the girl.

7. Noisy viper (lat. Bitis arietans)

Photo. Noisy Viper

The noisy viper makes up for its lack of length with its large size. These are strong, robust snakes armed with especially long fangs, which make them formidable hunters. Although they are slow and sluggish, the noise viper is actually famous for having one of the fastest attacks. The noise viper is known to kill rodents thanks to its striking force and large fangs. However, it is also worth noting that it contains enough poison to kill several people.

The name noise viper comes from the warning behavior of these snakes, they puff up, try to look larger and make a frightening hiss. You should heed this warning because the hissing viper is statistically the most dangerous snake in Africa and is responsible for more deaths than any other reptile on the continent.

Much of the hissing viper's dismal record is due to its habit of basking on paths in the early morning and midday sun. This increases the chances of contact with humans and is compounded by the fact that these snakes are reluctant to slink away when footsteps approach. Instead, the hissing viper relies on its effective camouflage to remain undetected. Unfortunately, this tactic can put the snake in a situation where it feels like it needs to defend itself.

If you have been bitten by a hissing viper, you will know this: its cytotoxic venom is one of the most powerful of all vipers and if the bite is not properly treated, in most cases it can lead to death. The bite itself causes severe pain, but these are only some of the initial and very unpleasant symptoms. Swelling and internal bleeding also occur; as is known, the venom of the hissing viper causes tissue necrosis, leading to severe cases of harm to the body, even to the bone marrow. Without effective treatment, complications such as gangrene can occur and often bite victims have to have their limbs amputated.

6. Indian cobra (Naja naja)

Photo. King Cobra

The infamous cobra is our first representative of India's "Big Four", a group of snakes that cause a large number of human casualties in India (and hence the world). Although often described as moderately venomous, somewhere between 100,000 and 150,000 bites are made each year. Although actual statistics on deaths due to Indian cobra are not available, an estimate can be made from the mortality rate of snake bites, which ranges from 6.5% to 30%. Regardless of the accuracy of this data, the fact remains that thousands of people die every year because of this snake.

While Indian cobra venom may not quite measure up to some of the heavyweights on this list, it is still underrated. A cobra bite is a cocktail of neurotoxins, cardiotoxins and hemotoxins and can be extremely painful and quickly lead to death. Hemotoxins destroy tissue at the site of the bite, helping the poison spread throughout the body, while neurotoxins cause paralysis. This in turn can lead to respiratory failure, all of which can take only half an hour. Thus, timely treatment with antivenom is very important.

However, cobra venom is also sometimes used as a recreational drug. Yes, in fact, in India there are people who are ready to inject themselves to get a quick buzz. Obviously, these people experience some effects such as: refined sensations, increased energy and a “feeling of happiness.” On the other hand, death can be a side effect.

Photo. Burn wound after a king cobra bite

Sometimes handlers suffer from the fangs of this snake, so on December 7, 2018 in Phuket in Thailand, during an animal exhibition, a king cobra sank its fangs into the left hand of Yutthapong Chaibuddi. The 35-year-old artist managed to unhook the snake from his hand and threw it to the ground. But soon after the poison began to spread throughout his body, he lost consciousness. He stopped breathing and was taken to hospital, where doctors administered an antidote. He was discharged from the hospital after three days, but even after ten days he still had a visible deep burn.

Below is a documentary about two snake charmers who were bitten by cobras. This is an investigative film. One of them managed to survive, but the other did not.

5. Indian krait (lat. Bungarus caeruleus)

Photo.Indian krait

This small snake is our second representative of the Indian Big Four. Also known as the common krait or blue bungarus, it is responsible for approximately 10,000 deaths per year in India alone.

The krait's weapon is its powerful neurotoxic venom. It is one of the five most venomous land snakes, only slightly smaller than coastal taipans. While its small size means it could potentially inject some poison, it still contains enough toxins to kill several people. To ensure that a sufficient dose is injected, the krayt continues to hold on to its victim for some time.

The venom itself contains postsynaptic and presynaptic neurotoxins. They target connections between the brain and nerves, causing muscle paralysis. Although there is an antivenom for krait bites, it may not be effective if not administered immediately after the bite, as presynaptic neurotoxins may block its action. In such cases, the only way to keep the victim alive is to use artificial ventilation until the poisons break down in the body.

If untreated, the mortality rate can be higher than 80%, with death occurring 4-6 hours after the bite.

Krait bites are believed to be virtually painless. Unfortunately, this means that people sometimes don't realize they've been bitten or don't take it seriously. There is also often a significant delay (an hour or two after the bite) in the onset of any symptoms, such as facial paralysis and stomach cramps.

Since kraits are nocturnal hunters, there have been many cases of people being bitten in their sleep. Often these people did not understand what had happened and some died without waking up.

4. Eastern brown snake (lat. Pseudonaja textilis)

Photo. Eastern brown snake

Australia is a country that is well known for its many extremely poisonous creatures. While many of them are quite scary on paper, in fact very few pose a serious threat to humans these days. There are a few exceptions though, including the eastern brown snake (reticulated brown snake).

Many people will tell you that Australia's inland taipans are the most dangerous snakes in the world. It is true that they have the most powerful venom, but it is not as toxic as the venom of the eastern brown snake, and taipans are also not as aggressive. Also, the eastern brown snake is much larger and more common than the inland taipan, and its bad temper makes this snake much more dangerous than the taipan.

Unlike the inland taipan, the brown snake is usually found in populated areas. These snakes primarily feed on small mammals and are found anywhere there are a lot of mice or rats. The main purpose of their poison is to quickly and completely immobilize the victim and kill small mammals, but it is also very effective for humans. Fast and aggressive, eastern brown snakes are responsible for the majority of fatal venomous snake bites in Australia, averaging about two per year. Moreover, in Australia, about 300 people are bitten by snakes every year, but from 2000 to 2016, only 35 people died.

Although these numbers may seem underestimated, this has been the case since the advent of the antidote. Previously, about 80% of those bitten said goodbye to their lives, and this could happen very quickly, within an hour. The only reason the eastern brown snake is not higher on this list is because of its geographic habitat.

Last known case of the reticulated brown snake. At around 10pm on 10 January 2018, a man was bitten by a reticulated brown snake in his backyard in Tamworth, north-west Sydney. The 24-year-old man died in hospital an hour later, despite desperate efforts by medical staff to save him. It was reported that the man heard his pet dog barking and went towards it. He was bitten on the finger while trying to remove the snake from the dog's mouth.

3. Sand epha (lat. Echis carinatus)

Photo. Sandy efa

Another member of the Indian Big Four is the sand epha, which is responsible for countless deaths throughout South Asia. Although it is small in size (usually less than 80 cm in length), this snake packs a punch in numbers. It is one of the most common snakes throughout India and Sri Lanka and poses a serious threat to farm workers.

Not only is this snake widespread, it is very dangerous. The strong poison has an incredibly fast effect on the human body, and in India alone, 5,000 people die from its bites every year. If we extrapolate this indicator to the habitat of this viper, which stretches across the Hindustan Peninsula to the countries of the Middle East and Africa, then this snake is one of the main killers on our planet.

This viper has a close relative, the carpet viper (Echis ocellatus). Also known as the African ephas, this snake is often called the deadliest snake in Africa, possibly killing up to 20,000 people every year.

The bite of the sand epha should definitely be avoided even if you are lucky enough. Rarely given, "dry bites" from a venomous snake usually contain enough venom to kill a person. The venom of this snake contains strong hemotoxins; the bite is considered extremely painful and causes some unpleasant symptoms. Swelling will appear at the site of the bite, which may spread further up the affected limb and blisters will appear. The more serious effects of the poison will appear after a few hours, as general bleeding, with blood coming out of every orifice. This can lead directly to death from blood loss or indirectly through kidney failure.

2. Black Mamba

Photo. Black Mamba

Not only is the black mamba one of the most venomous snakes on the planet, but it is also a large (up to 4 meters / 13 feet), fast (11 km/h / 6.8 mph) and very aggressive snake. When a mamba attacks, it can strike at speed and from a considerable distance. It is also known to deliver multiple bites. Considering all these characteristics, perhaps the black mamba is also the most dangerous snake in the world.

The only reason the black mamba is not higher on our list is because it is not widely distributed in densely populated areas of the developing world. In every single country, this snake has the highest mortality rate among indigenous peoples relative to other snakes. For example, in South Africa, the black mamba is responsible for less than 1% of all snakebites, but still kills the majority of people.

Video. Black Mamba

These statistics are a testament to the potential of the black mamba's venom. With an LD50 (the average dose of poison that causes the death of half of the test group) of about 0.28 mg/kg of poison, you can theoretically kill 10 people. The venom itself is a fast-acting neurotoxin. It is capable of killing a mouse in less than 5 minutes and completely immobilizing a person in 45 minutes; death usually occurs 7-15 hours after the bite.

A black mamba bite can be relatively painless. This happened to a 28-year-old British student in South Africa who was bitten on the finger while courting a snake. While he didn't even realize he had been bitten by a snake, just an hour later he was already dead. There are cases of people surviving a black mamba bite without antivenom, but this appears to be a minority. Without some form of medical treatment after a bite, a person's chances of survival are very slim.

1. Russell's viper (lat. Daboia russelii)

Photo. Chained viper or daboya

At the top of our list of the most dangerous snakes in the world is the Russell's viper (chain viper or daboya). The last of India's Big Four, this snake kills more people than any other animal (except humans and mosquitoes) with a staggering 25,000 deaths a year in India alone. The global figure is even higher when you consider that the Russell's viper is found throughout the Indian subcontinent, and there are several subspecies of this snake.

Like all snakes on this list, the Russell's viper's venom is very potent, although it takes less than most venoms to kill a human. However, an adult snake has enough venom to kill about 20 people. Not only is the bite of this viper often fatal, it is also described as excruciating for the person bitten. Unlike the superfast neurotoxin venom of snakes like the black mamba, Russell's viper venom is hemotoxic, which destroys body tissue.

The bite of these snakes begins with severe pain and swelling at the site of the bite. Within half an hour, the bite victim may bleed from the gums, through urine or when coughing. Soon after the tissue around the bite may blister, necrosis of the surrounding muscles will appear. Within a few hours, swelling and discoloration of the skin will spread to the limbs, and in severe cases to the spine.

Over the next 1-14 days, complications from the destructive effects of the poison on the body's organs often lead to death. Common causes of death are: kidney failure, cerebral hemorrhage, blood poisoning or cardiovascular failure. Although there are effective antivenoms for this venom, they must be administered as soon as possible after the bite to minimize complications and stop the destructive effects of the venom. Even when treated for a snakebite, victims often suffer severe pain for a month, which may subside but may develop long-term problems such as hypopituitarism, which affects hormone production.

Although the venom of the Russell's viper is particularly unpleasant, this does not make it any more dangerous than the venom of many other snakes. What, in our opinion, makes this snake the most deadly snake in the world is its habitat and temperament. Its diet of rodents such as rats and mice forces Russell's vipers into cities and into close contact with people. It is also a notoriously vicious and aggressive snake and is typically described as slow and lethargic, but when confronted by a human it changes its behavior. The hiss of these snakes is louder than any other snake, the vipers coil themselves into a ball and take a characteristic S-shaped pose for attack. And when she attacks with lightning speed, the force exerted even allows her to lift herself completely off the ground.

Given the horrific reports of Russell's vipers attacking humans, it is not at all surprising that it is often listed with other commonly referred to animal kingdom "villains" as the great white shark and saltwater crocodile. The only clarification that you should not be so afraid of it is that most of its victims were bitten in the swamps of rural areas of South Asia.

Is it possible to eat the meat of an animal that has been bitten by a poisonous snake?
This question is quite interesting and therefore we will give just one example.

In early February 2018, more than 50 people in South Africa were taken to several hospitals after they ate meat from a cow that had reportedly died from a snakebite. This snake incident took place in Mpoza village outside Tsolo ( Tsolo) in the Eastern Cape.

Provincial health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said patients confirmed they had eaten meat from the carcass of an animal that died after being bitten by a snake. He said patients experienced diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps and headaches.

The patients included 16 children, eight of whom were transferred to the pediatric ward of the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, while the rest were treated at Umtata City Hospital. Kupelo said four elderly patients were also transferred to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital for further treatment. Kupelo said the department is urging the public to stop eating meat from dead animals as it is dangerous for them.

We thought this case would be interesting and revealing.

Reading time: 14 min.

The snake is one of the most dangerous creatures on the globe. According to statistics, their conscience bears responsibility for 100-125 thousand human lives claimed by poisonous bites every year. And this despite the fact that only 8% of these asps are deadly. And there is no particular reason for them to attack a person: they are too large as prey.

There is still fierce debate among scientists to determine the status of “the most poisonous snake in the world.” The problem lies in the different points of view on this issue. After all, snakes have so many differences: the level of toxicity of the poison, the amount of poison injected into the victim at one time, the degree of aggression of the reptile.

Hook-nosed sea snake (lat. Enhydrina schistosa)

Habitat: Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, Seychelles and Madagascar, seas around South Asian countries (Pakistan, India and Bangladesh), Thailand and Vietnam, Southeast Asia (Myanmar), Australia and New Guinea.

Length: up to 1.2 m.

Color: dark gray above, sides and whitish below.

LD indicator50 : 0.1125 mg/kg.

The hook-nosed snake is very poisonous, but as soon as it sees people, it tends to swim away. The reason for this is the gastronomic preferences of the residents of Hong Kong and Singapore, who are very fond of this delicious delicacy. Excessive interest in snake meat involuntarily forces snakes to self-defense, so the share of all bites of sea adders accounts for 50% of their hook-nosed counterparts.

The venom of the hook-nosed snake is almost eight times more dangerous than the toxins of the cobra and is quite capable of being fatal. Neurotoxins and myotoxins contained in one snake bite are 90% fatal. Which is not surprising in principle, since the lethal dose of snake venom for humans is 1.5 mg, while the bite of a hook-nosed snake injects from 7.9 to 9 mg.

Black mamba (lat. Dendroaspis polylepis)

Habitat: Africa.

Length: up to 3 m.

Color: gray, brown, olive or a mixture of them; The distinctive feature is the black mouth.

LD indicator50 : 0.111 mg/kg.

A large, poisonous and swift snake of the mamba genus, attacking with particular aggression and cruelty. One bite is usually not enough for her, so the mamba strives to inject several portions of poison in a row in order to surely finish off her victim. In one bite, the snake injects from 100 to 400 mg of poison. Organs attacked by toxins fail within 20-25 minutes. If the snake manages to get into a vein or artery, then both the animal and the person will face instant death.

Every year on the African continent, about 20,000 people die from the bites of black mambas. The situation is also complicated by the desire of these snakes to settle closer to people, so cases of a mamba being found in its own bed are quite possible. But the snake is not distinguished by its temper, and it strives to hide at the first discovery.

The black mamba is not only the thunderstorm of Africa, but also the most dangerous killer snake on the planet. Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, the snake's record speed is more than 18 km/h, which is significantly faster than most people can run. In addition, with the ability to lift half of its body off the ground, the mamba can easily jump into trees.

Tiger snake (lat. Notechis scutatus)

Habitat: in forests and open fields of Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea.

Length: up to 2 m.

Color: from dark brown to olive, has transverse stripes, belly is yellow; On the island of Tasmania, snakes are black in color.

LD indicator50 : from 0.131 to 0.194 mg/kg.

The snake's venom is extremely toxic and is considered the most powerful of all, since it is quite enough to kill 400 people with one dose, from one bite. But since the tiger snake is quite peaceful, there are very few unpleasant incidents involving deaths and its participation. And the tiger snake doesn’t have much venom, so it tries to save it when trying to escape. Exceptions include cases of self-defense. Then the snake bends its neck, raises its head and strikes like a cobra.

People bitten by a tiger snake experience paralysis of the nervous system, they stop breathing, their heart stops, which ultimately leads to death.

Greater flattail or sea krait (lat. Laticauda semifasciata)

Habitat: East coast of the Malay Archipelago, Brunei, Halmahera Island in Indonesia.

Length: up to 1.2 m.

Color: grayish or greenish, with 30-42 brown transverse bands, the underside of the body is yellowish.

LD indicator50 : 0.111 mg/kg.

The Great Flattail is one of the most dangerous ocean snakes, with enough venom to kill at least a football team. The neurotoxins contained in the venom block the functioning of nerve endings, and myotoxins disrupt the integrity of muscle tissue. As a result of such a powerful double blow, paralysis of the nervous system occurs, leading to death.

Much to the joy of local residents, the flattail rarely emerges from the water, and therefore the chances of encountering it are scanty. And the snake itself prefers not to get involved with people. Moreover, there are gourmets who highly value the meat of these snakes. But you shouldn’t forget that 1 drop of flattail venom can kill 20 people.

South China multi-banded krait (lat. Bungarus multicinctus)

Habitat: swamps, plantations, mangrove forests and bushes of Burma, Laos, Taiwan, Vietnam, as well as mainland China.

Length: 1.5 – 1.8 m.

Color: black with white transverse stripes.

LD indicator50 : 0.108 mg/kg.

A snake with a bright color and a fatal bite, from which every second victim dies, regardless of the provision of assistance and the administration of an antidote. According to statistics, from 50 to 85% of attacks are fatal. Just one bite of it would be enough for ten. The toxin causes convulsions, difficulty breathing, blurred vision, diplopia, loss of voice, chest discomfort and general pain, leading to paralysis. After 6-12 hours, death occurs.

The behavior of kraits depends on the time of day. During the day they are lazy and slow, and at night they attack without warning. These adders have a habit of settling near residential buildings, fields and vegetable gardens, which also makes unpleasant encounters with people more frequent. The krait attacks like a viper, throwing out its head and sinking its teeth, which, by the way, are quite capable of biting through good-quality shoes.

Common or coastal taipan (lat. Oxyuranus scutellatus)

Habitat: Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia.

Length: 1.8 – 3 m.

Color: plain, light, dark brown or reddish.

LD indicator 50: 0.099 mg/kg.

The coastal taipan is dangerous for two reasons: it is as fast as the Black Mamba, and a person bitten by it has virtually no chance of survival. The snake's venom is extremely toxic and will kill an adult within one hour. Before the advent of an antidote in 1995, 90% of those bitten died from taipan bites.

Unlike its fellow McCoy, the coastal taipan is very aggressive, and at the slightest threat it will frighteningly curl into a ring and vibrate the tip of its tail. Although the snake is most aggressive during periods of shedding or mating, do not expect it to be peaceful and docile the rest of the time. Local residents are saved by only one factor: the coastal taipan is a rare snake and lives in sparsely populated areas.

A single bite in self-defense is typical for a snake, but 8 bites in a row have also occurred. One drop of poison is enough to kill 10,000 experimental mice or 1,200 pigs. The poison stops blood flow, clogs arteries and immobilizes muscles.

Bicolor bonito (lat. Hydrophis platura)

Habitat: Indian and Pacific Oceans, from the Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand in the south to Japan in the north.

Length: up to 1 m.

Color: contrasting, can vary greatly from dark brown to light yellow, spots are present.

LD indicator50 : 0.067 mg/kg.

Ironically, one of the most poisonous snakes is also one of the most beautiful in the world. Pelamida is an inhabitant of the deep sea and attacks people solely for reasons of self-defense. And it’s quite difficult to tease this snake.

But the poison of bonito is very dangerous. Possessing certain similarities to cobra venom, it is more toxic and can lead to the death of at least 3 adults. It is very painful, so in addition to the standard choking, the victim of a bonito bite will suffer from hellish muscle pain. By the way, despite the asphyxia, a person will be able to move, but in such agony he is unlikely to want to. Without a vaccine, a person is doomed to death from painful shock or paralysis of the respiratory system, and after taking the antidote, he will suffer from pain for a long time.

Reticulated or Eastern brown snake (lat. Pseudonaja textilis)

Habitat: Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia.

Length: 1.1 – 1.8 m.

Color: brownish grey.

LD indicator 50: 0.053 mg/kg.

The reticulated snake is scary not only for its deadly poison, but also for its very aggressive nature. Of the more than 50 species of venomous snakes living in Australia, it is this representative of reptiles that makes 80% of all cuts in the country. Thanks to this fact, the brown snake received the dubious title of “the most dangerous among the deadly” adders.

Even the habits of this snake are provocative: it goes out hunting during the day, and not at night, as its brothers do, and loves to penetrate human habitation. Such activity in itself leads to inevitable clashes. And if it is also frightened, the snake will curl into a figure eight to achieve maximum striking force, open its mouth wide and quickly attack. And this without any warning.

The poison of Pseudonaja textilis is deadly and is an explosive mixture of anticoagulants and neurotoxins. Under the influence of such a double blow, the victim begins to experience extensive internal bleeding, and his lungs and kidneys fail. The situation is aggravated by the snake's habit of strangling its victim and inflicting numerous bites.

Dubois sea snake (lat. Aipysurus duboisii)

Habitat: corals of the coastal zones of the South China Sea, the coast of Australia and the Malay Archipelago.

Length: 0.8 – 1.10 m.

Color: Pale brown in color with dark brown spots on the sides and back.

LD indicator 50: 0.043 mg/kg.

Although Dubois lives in shallow water, the snake periodically comes to the surface to breathe oxygen. At such moments, bathing people can become victims of the sea serpent. Although Dubois is not aggressive, due to its color, vacationers can accidentally step on the snake, which is almost invisible in the water, thereby provoking a conflict. Toxins injected into the victim suppress the impulses of the nervous system responsible for breathing, cause paralysis of the lungs, and the victim simply dies from suffocation. Aipysurus duboisii is rightfully considered the most poisonous of sea snakes, because according to statistics, about 150 people die from its bites per year.

The positive point is that, despite the high toxicity of the poison, it is administered in small doses, and therefore death is possible only if the snake shows strong aggression and inflicts multiple bites. In addition, DuBois uses venom in only 10% of bites.

You don't have to be a herpetophobe to know which snakes are dangerous or completely harmless. But if you meet the most poisonous snake in the world and bite, it will cost a person his life. Let's find out which of them are the most dangerous.

Taipan is the most poisonous snake

The most poisonous snake is the taipan, which lives on the Australian continent. The second name of this snake is Cruel. This name is explained by the fact that the concentration of poison in one snake bite will kill a hundred people. The taipan's venom is 10 times more deadly than the rattlesnake and 50 times more deadly than that of the most dangerous cobra.

The taipan reacts with lightning speed to aggression, biting the enemy several times in a row. Anyone bitten by a taipan experiences paralysis of the respiratory muscles and symptoms of blood incoagulability. After a bite, if an antidote is not administered, the person dies within 4 hours.

Taipans are peace-loving and attack only in case of aggression from a person; however, when they bite, they do not spray the entire dose of poison. These snakes do not settle near human habitation, so they are not common. In the 50s of the twentieth century, an antidote to snake venom was developed. If you go to the hospital in a timely manner in case of a bite, you will only get away with fear.

Taipans from the adder family are presented in three types:

• common (coastal, New Guinea, northwestern Australian);
• McCoy (violent or inland);
• temporalis (inland) is a little-known species, having only been discovered in 2007.

Coastal taipans are large (up to 3.5 m in length) snakes of a uniform brownish or reddish hue. McCoy's species is slightly shorter (1.9 m in length). It is the only snake in Australia that changes color depending on the season (darker in winter). It is assumed that the recently discovered species of taipan - temporalis - is more poisonous than its counterparts. Scientists cannot say for sure, since this species is rare.

Taipans are the most dangerous land snakes. And among marine inhabitants, the champion in deadliness is Belcher's snake. Its poison is 10 times more dangerous: the dose of poison from one bite is enough to kill 1,000 people. But she is peaceful and bites only fishermen who get caught in their nets. However, when bitten, not the entire dose is injected into the wound, so some victims survive.

The most dangerous snakes: list

If we compare the potency of snake venom, the list in descending order looks like this:

• Mulga (brown King). Like most dangerous adders, it lives in Australia. Mulga venom is extremely lethal. Even a meeting with an immature individual can be fatal. The snake is aggressive and chases the offender, but in half the cases it does not bite. To avoid danger, when you encounter this reptile, freeze and do not move.
• Blue (or Malayan) krait, native to Southeast Asia. It is most dangerous at night when it hunts. The bite is fatal in 50% of cases when an antidote is administered in a timely manner. The agony lasts 6–12 hours.
• Black mamba from Africa. It is considered the fastest on earth among its relatives: it is capable of covering 20 km in an hour. The snake is unusually accurate and can attack up to a dozen times. The poison from one bite can kill more than ten people. If an antidote is not administered, death occurs within half an hour in 100% of cases.
• Tiger snake from Australia. Her attack always ends with a bite, since the reptile does not miss. As a rule, this is a peaceful snake, but when in danger it always acts decisively. The neurotoxin in the venom initially causes severe pain at the site of the bite, and death occurs from suffocation.
• Philippine cobra. Among its relatives, it is the most deadly. A distinctive feature of all cobras is their beautiful hood, which opens when aggressive. The main danger of this snake is its ability to spit neurotoxic venom at a distance of up to 3 m.
• Viper (lives everywhere). The most dangerous vipers (sand vipers) are found in Central Asia and the Middle East. A distinctive feature of the action of viper venom is extensive tissue necrosis and intoxication of the body. The bites are painful. Without treatment, a person dies within a few days from sepsis, a malfunction of the respiratory or cardiac system.
• Australian spinytail. Snakes hunt their fellows. Externally they look like rattlers. Throw speed when attacking - 0.13 s. If an antidote is not administered, the bitten person dies within 6 hours from asphyxia.

• The rattlesnake is common in the North American region. It got its name because of the rattle located at the tip of its tail. These are dead skin scales that, when the tail bends, touch each other and rattle. A snake attacks a person only when driven into a corner.

These poisonous snakes are dangerous to humans. Snake venom, injected during a bite, is a neuro- and hemotoxin. They inhibit respiratory function (resulting in difficulty breathing, paralysis) and cause coagulation (clotting). After a bite, scars remain on the skin.

An encounter with poisonous snakes can result in death, and even if an antidote is administered in time, this does not always save a life. Basically, these creatures are quite peaceful and attack if they sense danger. Vital advice: if you are in snake territory, be careful and attentive so as not to inadvertently provoke the reptile.