The list includes the names of the most dangerous snakes and their descriptions.
The most venomous snake in the world: Taipan
Place of residence: Australia, New Guinea.
Which snake is the most poisonous? This question interests not only bloggers but also scientists. The top 10 among land reptiles is headed by the taipan. The most dangerous snake in the world is 50 times more poisonous than a cobra and 10 times more poisonous than a rattlesnake.
In 2018, specialists from the Australian Reptile Park milked 3.1027 g of venom from one individual of this species, which is twice the average dose. Scientists estimate that a single bite can kill 100 people. In the Australian state of Queensland, where there are the most taipans, every second person bitten dies.
Found even in the city: the reticulated brown snake
Place of residence: Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia.
In the list of the most dangerous land reptiles, the reticulated brown snake is second only to the taipan. But if the latter prefers to settle far from people, this reptile can be found near farms and even in the city. The reason is its diet, which consists mainly of rodents.
Wherever the reptile goes in search of food! And since it hunts during the day, it accounts for the majority of snakebite victims in Australia. It is not the first to attack, but if disturbed, it will use its weapons.
From the sea: Belcher’s snake
Place of residence: the waters of the Indian Ocean.
One of the most dangerous snakes in the world is rightfully considered to be the Belcher’s snake, also known as the most poisonous sea snake. One bite can kill up to 1000 people!
It is known that the venom of sea snakes is more toxic than that of land snakes. This is because cold-blooded animals, which include fish, are more sensitive to the venom of less warm-blooded animals.
Humans rarely suffer from a Belcher’s snake bite. First, the reptile is peaceful. It prefers to use its weapons during hunting. Secondly, if the most dangerous snake of the water depths does use venom for self-defense, it releases only a quarter of its “reserves”.
The fastest in the world: Black Mamba
Place of residence: Africa.
A large, venomous, aggressive and cruel snake from the genus Mamba is a thunderstorm on the continent and is among the most poisonous in the world. It is also listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest. The black mamba can move at a speed of 18 km/h, which is approximately equal to the average running speed of a trained person.
One bite is usually not enough. It prefers to finish off the victim and therefore injects several portions of venom, injecting from 100 to 400 mg. Only 15 mg is enough for a person to die.
Black mamba venom is not only a deadly weapon, but also a powerful painkiller. French biologists have used one of its key components – toxic mambalgina proteins – to make an analgesic. It is stronger than morphine and is not addictive.
Non-conflict: Tiger Snake
Place of residence: Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea.
One bite from a tiger snake is enough to kill 400 people! Fortunately, the reptile is peaceful, and it does not have much venom to waste. When it sees danger, it prefers to crawl away. It never crawls into dwellings and generally prefers to stay away from humans, resorting to its weapons only in self-defense.
To irritate a tiger snake, you must first notice it, and the reptile is a master of disguise. The color of the skin depends entirely on the season and the environment and can be brown, orange, gray, green or black.
Small but dangerous: The sand ephah
Place of residence: India, North Africa, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan.
According to experts from the University of Melbourne, more people die from the bites of sand ephas, Russell’s vipers and related species than from the bites of Australian reptiles. For example, the bite of this small snake, which is usually 50-60 cm long, is enough to kill five people.
Thus, the most venomous snakes in the world do not live in Australia, but in Africa and Southeast Asia.
Very beautiful: two-colored pelamid
Habitat: waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
One of the most venomous snakes is also considered one of the most beautiful. The reptile attacks humans only in self-defense, but if it bites, it’s sure to kill. Its venom can kill three people.
Using the example of a two-colored pelamid, a group of scientists from the United States, Australia, and France found that sea snakes can survive without water for up to seven months. The biologists observed the reptiles for three years and found that they quench their thirst only with fresh water, they do not drink seawater. When “drought” comes, they use the body’s reserves, losing up to 25% of their body weight.
The largest: Royal Cobra
Habitat: South and Southeast Asia.
The king cobra is considered the largest venomous snake in the world. It usually grows up to 3-4 m, but some specimens can reach 5 m.
The cobra is one of the main enemies of other reptiles. It can fight even the longest representative of snakes – the reticulated python (6-7 m). However, in this case, both die: the python – from poison, the cobra – from suffocation.
After being bitten by a king cobra, a person can die in 15 minutes, but fatalities are rare. Firstly, this snake is extremely patient and, if not provoked, will slip away on its own. Secondly, most often, trying to scare away a person, the royal cobra bites without injecting venom. After all, it will still need it for hunting.
Not to be confused with a boa constrictor: Common viper
Place of residence: Europe, Asia, including Ukraine.
Most common vipers give off a zigzag pattern on their backs. Biologists from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland have proven that it does not just signal predators: “Watch out!” Depending on the situation, the pattern can help to remain unnoticed, scare away an enemy, or escape from pursuit.
This is skillfully used by the water urchin, which does not pose any danger. Because of their resemblance to a common viper, they are often confused. However, there are a few differences: the water snake has an olive, brown or greenish color, dark spots on the back, staggered, and a reddish or yellow belly with black spots.
The viper lives almost throughout Ukraine: in fields, swamps, mixed forests, and along the banks of water bodies.
It is not visible but audible: Rattlesnake
Habitat: Southeast Asia, South and North America.
Among the most venomous snakes in the world are also reptiles with a “rattle” on their tails – these are called real rattlers. In the process of hunting, they frighten enemies with a loud crack, which, when vibrated, produces a special process at the end of the tail. The sound of the rattle can be heard from a distance of up to 30 meters.
Between the nostrils and eyes of the rattlesnake there are two dimples-thermal sensors. With their help, the snake senses the difference in body temperature between the environment and its potential victim. It is because of this pit that the subfamily is called “pitheads”. In Ukraine, the name “rattlesnakes” has taken root.
There are more than 120 species of rattlesnakes, and their venom is different. For example, two species: the common and the eastern rattlesnake are found in our country. Their bite is considered painful but not fatal. The giant of the pit viper family, the bushmeister, is considered the largest among the venomous snakes in America. Its length is up to 3.6 meters. The opposite is the chain dwarf rattlesnake, its length is only 50-80 cm.
The dreaded rattlesnake is of particular interest to doctors. In early 2020, scientists from the Butantan Institute in São Paulo developed a method to reduce the toxicity of the main component of its venom, crotoxin, in order to use it as an anesthetic.
