The fastest poisonous snake. The most dangerous snakes on our planet

We present to you the top 10 the most poisonous snakes on the planet. Snakes can be found anywhere from the forests and steppes of Russia to the Australian deserts and African tropics. According to statistics, snake bites cause about 125 thousand deaths per year worldwide.

The good news: the chances of dying from a snakebite are tiny compared to the risk of dying from cancer, heart disease, or car accident. The bad news: being bitten by a snake is a very painful way to die. Those lucky enough to survive described various horrific symptoms, such as the inability to breathe normally, numbness in their limbs and failure of various organs. And although doctors have developed many antidotes, the cure still needs to be obtained. However, even the most poisonous snake in the world does not sleep at all and sees how to bite a person. Usually these creatures want to be left alone. And it is better to fulfill this desire if you value your life.

10. Kaisaka, also known as labaria (Bothrops atrox) – lethal dose of poison 50 mg

Due to the yellow color of the chin, this representative of the pit viper family is also called the “yellow beard.” Kaisaka is an aggressive creature that often crawls into human habitation. Found in Central America and tropical South America. The venom of this snake acts very quickly and is fatal within a few minutes. Workers in coffee and banana plantations often become victims of labaria.

9. Black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) – 10-15 mg

The snake, sometimes called the "black mouth", also known as the black mamba, inhabits the savannas and woodlands of tropical Africa and can often be found near termite mounds. The body color varies from gray to dark brown, and the reptile's name comes from the black mouth cavity, this can be seen in the photo of the attacking mamba. Black Mamba - fast snake, which has an extremely powerful poison containing a toxic mixture of neurotoxin and cardiotoxin. It kills most victims, including humans, within 20 minutes. Despite its aggressive reputation, the mamba does not rush at a person first and attacks only when it is cornered or taken by surprise. And mamba is the most long view poisonous snake in Africa and the second longest in the world.

8. Boomslang (Dispholidus typus) – lethal dose 10-12 mg

The most beautiful snake from the colubrid family lives in Sub-Saharan Africa and hunts by expanding the front part of its body. Usually it hangs motionless on a tree or bush, imitating a branch with its shape. For this reason, it was called a “tree snake” by the Dutch settlers (boom - tree, slang - snake). Boomslang injects poison when chewing its victim, because its teeth are located almost in the middle of its mouth, and not at its beginning, like other representatives of the rating of the most poisonous snakes in the world. Its venom is dominated not by a neurotoxin, but by a hemotoxin, which causes the destruction of red blood cells. Boomslang is a very timid snake and, thanks to its good eyesight, is able to promptly avoid meeting a person. However, if you grab it, the bite is inevitable. This is how the famous herpentologist and zoologist Carl Paterson Schmidt died from a boomslang in 1957.

7. King Cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah) – 7 mg

Is the longest poisonous snake on the ground. Most individuals reach 3-4 meters in length, and there are also 5.6-meter giants. The queen snake's venom is so dangerous that it can kill an elephant in just a few hours. For a person, 15 minutes is enough. Fortunately for humans, the cobra prefers not to waste its main weapon and does not bite without warning. She can bite “idly”, without injecting poison or releasing a minimal amount of it.

The king cobra lives in tropical forests South and Southeast Asia, and prefers to hunt rat snakes. She does not disdain poisonous “colleagues”.

6. Taipan (Oxyuranus) – 5 mg

In sixth place on the snake hit parade is the most dangerous snake in Australia and one of the most poisonous creatures on Earth. If you've ever heard the expression “be careful, you're dealing with a sensitive, excitable little bastard,” it perfectly describes the taipan. Any movement near this nervous reptile will most likely provoke an attack. The taipan's venom contains a neurotoxin that works by paralyzing the victim's muscles, which in turn stops breathing. Without an antidote, a taipan bite always ends in death. The person who has been bitten has approximately 30 minutes to get to the hospital.

5. Sandy epha (Echis carinatus) – 5 mg

About 5 mg of poison is enough to kill a person. This is perhaps the most dangerous and deadly snake on our list, as scientists believe that the sand epha has killed more people than other species of snakes combined. The poisonous reptile is so mobile and aggressive that it bites several times. Ephs are not afraid of people; they often crawl into homes, basements and utility rooms in search of food. Those who survive an epha attack may develop kidney problems due to blood coagulation defects.

4. Harlequin adder (Micrurus fulvius) – 4 mg

Mother Nature's brightly colored snake is found in the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico. This is the only snake in North America, laying eggs rather than giving birth to young. This poisonous beauty prefers not to attack people, but if he really has to, he attacks with lightning speed and without help, the death of the victim occurs within 20 hours. Therefore, it is better to admire him on video and never meet him in life.

3. Indian krait (Bungarus caeruleus) – 2.5 mg

These small reptiles and their relative, the ribbon krait (Bungarus multicinctus), are responsible for the deaths of thousands of people every year across South Asia. In their range from Pakistan to India and Sri Lanka, kraits often crawl into homes to hunt rodents and often bite people while they sleep. The bite of this snake causes paralysis of the facial muscles and sometimes the entire body. Death from respiratory failure can occur within 1 to 6 hours if antivenom is not administered.

2. Tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) – fatal dose 1.5 mg

It lives on the southern edge of Australia and nearby islands in the region. When this fierce, venomous predator prepares to strike, it bends its head and neck in the manner of Asian and African cobras. Tiger snakes are very aggressive and kill more people in Australia than any other snake on this continent.

1. Enhydrina schistosa – 1.5 mg

Although the question is which snake is the most poisonous is controversial, enhydrina is often considered to be the deadliest of all.

This reptile is known not only to be extremely poisonous, but also very aggressive. This species of sea snake is responsible for more than 50% of all sea snake attacks on humans and is responsible for about 90% of all deaths caused by sea snake bites.

Most sea snakes are poisonous, so if you see one in the water, swim away!

Fortunately, none of the top 10 most poisonous snakes are found in the Russian Federation. The most poisonous snake in Russia is the Viper, which is also one of the most common. The guaranteed toxic dose is 40-50 mg. The number of deaths is so small that scientists have not yet been able to determine a more accurate dosage.

In total, scientists have counted more than 2,500 species of snakes in the world, but only 410 of them are poisonous. They differ from each other not only in structure and way of life, but also chemical composition poison, its effect on a living organism. Official statistics state that up to 50,000 people die from snakebites every year. What is the most dangerous snake in the world?

Evaluation criterion

It is definitely difficult to answer which poisonous snake 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.

Appearance: a small snake belongs to the family of vipers, its average length is 55-60 cm, the maximum is 75 cm, and males are always larger than females. Their skin is very beautiful. The general tone is golden-sandy or gray; on the sides of the body is decorated with a large zigzag pattern, along which white spots stretch. The head is decorated with a dark cross.

Efa is distinguished by its peculiar scales: the dorsal scales have sharply protruding ribs, and the small and narrow lateral scales are directed obliquely downwards and are equipped with jagged ribs. Efa cannot hiss, but with the help of its side scales it creates a special noise, warning of an attack. This loud crackling sound is reminiscent of oil boiling in a frying pan, which is why the sand epha is called a “boiling” snake.

Distribution area – Northern and partially Central Africa, Asia (Arabian Peninsula), Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, India, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan. A record number of eph live on the Hindustan Peninsula and the island of Sri Lanka. And on the Murghab River, which flows through the territory of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, snake catchers caught more than 2 thousand sand ephemerals in 5 years. They are also found in the United States.

They prefer sandy deserts with lonely saxauls and semi-deserts with sparse thickets of bushes and grasses. They develop clay soils and rocky areas.

Lifestyle: the sand epha spends its entire life on the move, in a hurry to get somewhere, and is almost impossible to see basking in the sun. Even in hibernation the epha does not flow. Although if the weather turns bad, she may hide in a shelter for a while.

If males and females mate in January, then the offspring appear in March; if mating occurs in March-April, then the offspring are born in July-August. The viviparous epha gives birth to 5-15 cubs at a time.

Ephs feed on small animals - insects, mice, chicks, lizards, lake frogs, scorpions, centipedes.

This dangerous snake moves very quickly and in a peculiar way - sideways. She throws her head to the side, then pulls up her entire body, leaving a characteristic trail in the form of a loop behind her.

Behavior: serpentologists believe that the sand epha is the most dangerous snake on the planet. Its poison is extremely toxic, it is not afraid of people, crawls into the territory of the settlement, and attacks often, energetically and swiftly. Considering the speed of movement and the fact that the snake can make half-meter jumps, it is dangerous to be closer than 5 meters from it.

It is from its bites that the most deaths are recorded. She behaves especially aggressively during the mating and molting period.

The effect of the poison on humans: the poison of the sand epha has a complex composition. Once in the body, it disrupts blood clotting, causes a decrease in blood pressure, and kidney necrosis. A characteristic clinical picture is observed: sharp pain, swelling and inflammation of the tissues in the bite area. Numerous internal bleeding is accompanied by heavy bleeding from the nose, gums, and eyes. Bloody vomiting, dizziness, weakness, drowsiness, severe headache, fever, man is delirious. The poison may cause convulsions and shock. Has an extended effect. Even after rendering medical care the patient needs observation, since deterioration of the condition with a fatal outcome can occur within 40 days after the bite. This is a record among snakes.

After a bite, the victim should be taken to the hospital as quickly as possible, because without the administration of a special serum, death is inevitable.

One of the most tragic cases occurred in Cairo in 1987. Three children wandered into an abandoned house, where they came across a sand ephas nest. The snake bit everyone. The children died within 2 hours.

The most poisonous snake on Earth is the sea striped belcher. It lives in the Indian and Pacific oceans. There are especially many of these snakes near the northwestern coast of Australia, off the coasts of Indonesia, New Guinea, the Philippines and the Solomon Islands. This is very interesting reptile up to 1 meter long, which can dive to a depth of 200 meters and absorbs oxygen from the water with its skin, remaining under water for up to 8 hours. This viviparous snake. She gives birth to 1-2 cubs at a time. The Belcher feeds on small fish and shellfish.

The venom of the striped snake acts as a neurotoxin, being the most toxic of all known to science snake venoms. Its bite kills a person within 1 minute, and just one drop of it can kill a thousand people.

Fortunately, the Belchera is a very peaceful reptile. Divers can safely swim past it, and it will not attack; fishermen carefully remove entangled snakes from their nets, and they do not touch them. The striped snake bites a person only if it is hurt or provoked.

Tiger

Latest Scientific research confirmed that the most poisonous land snake is the tiger. A drop of its poison kills up to four hundred people.

It lives in Australia, is found on the island of Tasmania and New Guinea. The skin can be olive, dark brown and black with transverse golden stripes. It grows from one and a half to two meters. The main food is small mammals, amphibians and birds. Viviparous and very fertile, there are up to 30 cubs in one litter.

After a bite, a person dies within 30 minutes due to paralysis of the respiratory center and cardiac arrest. The antitoxic serum must be administered within 3 minutes, otherwise death is inevitable. The only saving grace is that the tiger snake attacks only as a last resort and will most likely crawl into the bushes when it encounters a person.

Cruel or ferocious

This is the second most poisonous land snake on the planet after the tiger. One drop of it can kill 100 people.

The fierce snake, or inland taipan, lives in central Australia and is rare. The body reaches a length of 1.9 meters. Its distinctive feature is the ability to change the color of the skin depending on the time of year. It gets darker in winter and brightens in summer. It reproduces by laying eggs - from 10 to 20 in one clutch.

A bite from an inland taipan kills a person within an hour. Its poison blocks muscle function (nerve-paralytic effect) and at the same time clots the blood (coagulative).

A cruel, or ferocious, snake does not live up to its name, since it behaves calmly and does not attack without a good reason.

The closest relative of the cruel snake. It is also incredibly poisonous, and is also very aggressive and quick to kill, even attacking bases for obvious reasons. Makes 3-4 lightning-fast attacks, biting the victim and leaving him virtually no chance of survival. Due to the strong toxicity of the venom and hostility, it is often called the most dangerous snake on the planet along with sand faff.

The habitat of the three-meter reptile is Australia, New Guinea and the island of Tasmania. The skin is a uniform light or dark brown color. Feeds on small animals. Reproduces by laying eggs. There are usually 10-15 eggs in a clutch.

A taipan bite leads to death within a few hours. The poison paralyzes the respiratory center and disrupts blood clotting. If an antidote is not administered, death is inevitable. Even with the introduction of the serum, every second person bitten dies.

For a very long time, scientists did not have the opportunity to study the common taipan. Only in 1950, a young snake catcher Kevin Baden priced own life got one specimen. Thanks to the brave young man, scientists were able to create an antidote to taipan poison.

The most dangerous snakes in the world

In addition to the top five named above, the most terrible snakes in the world are the following:

  • malay krait,
  • mulga (brown king),
  • black Mamba,
  • green mamba,
  • african boomslang,
  • Philippine cobra,
  • common viper,
  • Indian (spectacled) cobra,
  • egyptian cobra,
  • gabon viper,
  • Australian spinytail,
  • bungara,
  • rattlesnake,
  • puff adder,
  • hook-nosed sea snake,
  • harlequin (eastern) asp,
  • bushmaster or surukuku,
  • horned viper.

The article lists the most dangerous snakes in the world, meeting with which can end very sadly for a person.

Snakes leave no one indifferent, causing either delight or panic fear. They inhabit the entire Earth, excluding only Antarctica, Ireland, and New Zealand. These are some of the most dangerous creatures, and we must not forget that only about 8 percent of all snakes in the world are poisonous. They attack infrequently, because humans are too large prey for them.

If you want to know which snake is the most poisonous in the world, and this question is relevant and arouses undoubted curiosity, then we will try to answer it. But scientists have no consensus on how to rank these deadly beauties. Introducing the top 10 most poisonous snakes in the world.

10 Rattlesnake

The rattlesnake is often listed last on this list. The animal lives in North America. For a long time The mortality rate from the bite of this snake was very high, but much has changed since then; as a result of timely assistance, the victim will almost certainly survive.

The poison helps to change the blood formula, preventing it from clotting, which causes extensive bleeding. The bitten person experiences severe malaise, nausea, drooling, and suffocation. After some time, paralysis sets in.

This snake is called a rattlesnake because of the thickening on its tail that resembles a rattle (it can be clearly seen in the photo) and the strange sounds that the scales make.

Some researchers believe that the tenth place should be taken by the spiny tail - not the most dangerous Australian snake with poison that inhibits the functioning of the lungs. Now an antidote has been developed, so people die from bites quite rarely, whereas previously every second person died.

9 Enhydrina hook-nosed sea snake

One of the most poisonous snakes living in water, enhydrina, can be found near Madagascar, the Seychelles Islands, and also in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of India. She is an excellent swimmer, moves very quickly, dives to considerable depths, and can not surface for five hours.

At the sight of a person, enhydrina usually rushes into the water and tries to hide. Its venom is eight times stronger than that of a cobra, but it is never ranked higher, because this creature is not at all aggressive; on the contrary, the hook-nosed snake itself suffers from the aggression of fishermen who prepare food for themselves from the meat of this snake.

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Some scientists completely exclude enhydrina from the ranking, giving ninth place to boomslang - an African snake with a beautiful emerald color and dangerous poison (paralysis after its bite in a bird occurs in minutes); Boomslangs come in olive, brown, and black colors.

This reptile is an amazing conspirator: it has great ability mimic tree branches. And since Boomslangs prefer birds out of all game, their hunt is always successful. Another bird, gaping, may even sit on a snake, mistaking it for a branch.

But even if you are not so lucky, the boomslang has a lightning-fast throw: it can grab prey right on the fly.

8th place in the list of the most poisonous snakes - Harlequin adder

Most researchers give eighth place in the ranking of the most poisonous snakes in the world to the harlequin adder. It received its name for its unusually bright and spectacular coloring, consisting of stripes of red, black, yellow or orange.

This creature lives in Mexico and some areas of the United States and feeds on frogs, lizards, and insects. The reptile is not very large (up to a meter long), does not show much aggressiveness, prefers to flee.

If a snake has bitten, it can be very dangerous: despite its short teeth, the asp is capable of injecting poison deeply, as it clenches its jaws tightly.

So, the efa crawls strangely, somehow sideways, leaving traces that suggest cuneiform writing. When it sees a person or a large animal, the efa tries to scare it by emitting a strange crackling sound that occurs when special rings hit each other.

The epha's pupil is elongated, like a cat's. In addition, the efa is a viviparous snake: it brings from 10 to 15 small efas at a time. They live in desert places and, although very poisonous, never attack people without aggression from the latter.

7 Philippine cobra

A snake inflating its collar really amazes the imagination of anyone who has seen it, and the poison has a nerve-paralytic effect, so it is extremely dangerous. There is nothing special about the cobra's collar: the animal is trying to scare off the enemy in this way, solving the matter peacefully.

The markings on the scruff of the spectacled snake, according to scientists, perform the same function. Cobra venom is very strong, and such a significant dose is injected that it is even wasteful: 250 mg! It's enough to kill several average-weight people.

Death can occur within half an hour after an accident, although effective antidotes have existed for quite some time. Beginning paralysis respiratory system sometimes it can no longer be stopped.

It is surprising that the Philippine cobra not only bites, but also spits poison with precision, hitting the enemy at a distance of up to three meters.

6 Tiger snake

The sixth position is occupied by the tiger snake. The beauty lives in Australia and tries not to catch people's eyes. If this happens, the tiger snake can behave extremely aggressively, possessing a lightning-fast strike and a very strong poison that paralyzes cardiac activity.

The two-meter-tall gray or reddish creature has faint stripes all over its body and hunts insects, rodents, and small reptiles. This reptile is also viviparous; one brood can contain up to 30 snakes.

The venom of a tiger snake is so strong that it kills a small animal in a few seconds, and it takes about an hour for an adult man, up to a maximum of a day. Even the antidote does not always work, so the mortality rate is very high.

5 Black Mamba

The most dangerous snakes in the world rightfully include the black mamba, which is also one of the largest and largest of them, reaching a length of 5 meters. The giant lives in the vastness of South Africa.

It is surprising that it received its name not at all for the color of its body, which is actually gray or olive, but for its color oral cavity. It looks really scary, and is used by the mamba for precisely this purpose: to scare away large enemies.

This reptile is quite aggressive, gets angry, chases the enemy and continues to bite him, and the poison is enough for 12 times. And it moves at a very considerable speed - 20 kilometers per hour. These reptiles usually settle in places occupied by people, so attacks on a local resident are, unfortunately, not uncommon.

Every year, up to twenty thousand people die from this dangerous neurotoxin. An angry animal, having bitten several times, can inject up to 400 mg of poison, while lethal dose for an adult man of average weight – from 10 mg!

4 Malay Krait

A native of Australia and South Asia, the krait is distinguished by its disgusting character and extremely toxic, brain-killing poison. Despite the fact that there is an antidote designed to save people bitten by the Malayan krait, it does not always help.

At least half of those attacked by the evil creature die. The Krayt is a nimble and inquisitive reptile. He willingly visits places where he often encounters people: farmland, villages, and even crawls into houses, so the chance for local residents to encounter a deadly creature is very high.

Its spectacular bright coloring helps a little to protect itself from the krait: its entire body is covered with stripes alternating yellow and black, so that the reptile is clearly visible in the house or yard, and it is impossible not to notice it.

The Malayan krait hunts rodents, frogs, and other reptiles, including even snakes: it takes aim and makes a sharp lunge with half its body towards the victim, immediately sinking its teeth into it.

3 dangerous snake Mulga

In the top three, virtually all wildlife researchers include representatives of the same species, except that sometimes they swap the dangerous Mulga with Belcher’s snakes. These are truly the most dangerous creatures, armed with the most powerful deadly poison.

Mulga, often called the brown king, is a resident of the Australian continent. This is one of the largest reptiles in Australia: its length reaches three meters.

In addition, the brown king is a thick, heavy reptile. It usually feeds on the same things as others like it: small mammals, birds, amphibians. But the mulga also hunts other snakes, even poisonous ones, which does not cause it the slightest harm.

The huntress sneaks up on her prey, then makes a lightning-fast throw. If it was unsuccessful, the prey flees and the brown king does not pursue it. But if the mulga is angry, then, on the contrary, it gives chase, biting the enemy as soon as the opportunity presents itself, sometimes several times.

The brown king has a nervous, difficult character and often attacks for no apparent reason. When meeting him, it is best to freeze, as the mulga reacts to movement.

The venom of this reptile is not very strong, but the mortality rate from it is still extremely high, since the mulga injects up to 150 mg of toxin in one bite, which, of course, is the most dangerous dose for any large creature.

2 Belcher's sea snake

This is the most poisonous of the sea, and indeed of all reptiles in the world. Why is she placed only in second place in the ranking? The reason is simple: the sea snake is very peaceful: it rarely bites.

And not with every bite does the Belcher's sea snake inject venom. This creature tries to stay away from people. Most often, tragedies happen due to the fact that during a hunt, a reptile gets entangled in nets and fishermen pull it out along with the fish.

This is where the angry, frightened animal can no longer restrain itself and attacks the offenders. If the snake injects venom when biting, the victim’s minutes are numbered. The venom of the sea snake is 10 times stronger than that of the winner of the rating - the taipan. Just a few milligrams is enough to kill a thousand adult men!

The first place in the ranking, according to all experts, is occupied by the taipan, which rightfully enjoys the reputation of the most poisonous snake on the planet. The genus Taipan includes three (or, according to other sources, two) species. This is a taipan and a fierce (fierce) snake. The third species was described for the first time only a few years ago and is extremely rare.

Coastal taipan - large, up to 3 meters, reptile Brown. Lives in Australia, feeds on frogs, insects, lizards. But she also loves to feast on mice and rats, which determines her desire to get closer to people’s homes. Leads a diurnal lifestyle, which increases the likelihood of its collision with people.

These reptiles often live in sugar cane thickets, they are distinguished by a quarrelsome, aggressive character, and their causeless attacks on people and large animals are not uncommon. Considering herself offended, the taipan raises the front part of its body and strikes several times.

Teeth almost one and a half centimeters in length inject 120 to 400 mg of nerve-paralytic and blood-thinning poison into the wound, as a result of which death occurs within a few hours. The victim cannot be saved, despite the efforts of doctors, the antidote at their disposal, at least in half of the cases.

And until the mid-20th century (it was then that the antidote was developed) the mortality rate was 90%. Even a horse dies within minutes after being bitten by a snake.

Fierce (cruel) - the second species of the taipan genus - is considered the most poisonous of land reptiles. Its venom is at least 180 times stronger than that of a cobra, so it the most poisonous snake in the world. If a fierce snake bites a person, death will occur within the next 40 minutes. The poison injected at one time is enough to kill 100 people.

These reptiles live in desert places, lay eggs in cracks between stones, and try to stay away from local residents. This type of taipan is not at all aggressive; it rarely attacks people.

Only a few such cases have been documented, and in all of these cases it was humans who showed aggression. An interesting ability of this type of taipan is to change color depending on the time of year: in summer it darkens, and the head can become almost completely black. Watch the video and see for yourself the danger of these reptile species.

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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 carried away poisonous bites annually. 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 is different points 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 the countries of South Asia (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 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 a lethal dose snake venom for humans is 1.5 mg, while a hook-nosed snake bite administers 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; distinguishing feature- 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 African continent About 20,000 people die from black mamba bites. 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 nervous system, they stop breathing, their heart stops, which ultimately leads to death.

Greater flattail or sea krait (lat. Laticauda semifasciata)

Habitat: East Coast 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 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.

TO great joy local residents, the flattail rarely gets out of the water, and therefore the chances of meeting 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.

Snake with bright color And 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, discomfort in the area chest 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 net snake is scary not only due to its deadly dangerous poison, but also very aggressive in 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 impact force, opens his mouth wide and quickly attacks. 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 opens up an extensive internal bleeding, 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: coastal corals South China Sea, 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.

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