Deadly poisonous snakes. The most dangerous snake on the planet: rating, features and interesting facts

There are a lot of dangerous snakes in the world, but not all of their bites are fatal, because with timely administration of the antidote, a person has every chance of surviving. In this article we will look at the most poisonous and dangerous snakes to humans, as well as their aggressiveness and doses of poison that can cause death.

10. Common viper or “deadly viper”


The venomous snake, native to Australia, is found throughout the world. The main diet of the viper is small mammals and birds. The snake can wait for hours in ambush for its prey. You need to be extremely careful and attentive; If you don't notice the snake, it can attack a person.


Pythons are less dangerous than vipers. They mainly live near water, but can also be found under trees in the forest. These snakes are carnivores, most often feeding on mammals. Python uses sharp teeth to capture prey, and then wraps itself around its victim, thereby suffocating it. Strangulation is the most dangerous form snake attacks.


This species of snake is found in southern Australia. The venomous snake has stripes on its body that resemble those of a tiger, but the color can vary. The tiger snake's venom contains toxins such as notoxin and myotoxin, making it one of the deadliest snakes in the world. Even after antivenom is administered, the chance of death is more than 65%.

7. Australian brown snake


Australian brown snakes are among the most poisonous reptiles. When they are hungry, they become very aggressive and fast in movement. In an excited state, the snake raises its neck high, acquiring a vertical S-shaped body. Finding prey, it attacks it several times, reacting to the slightest movement of the victim.


A small snake that is also one of the most poisonous snakes in the world. The maximum dose of venom per bite is 110 mg, which can kill about 100 people. The Inland Taipan is very shy and would rather crawl away than attack. Attacks only in cases of extreme danger.

5. Eastern Spotted Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)


The Eastern Spotted Rattlesnake is native to the southeastern United States and is the most... poisonous snake on the continent. Not the best aggressive look snakes, but the poison entering the human bloodstream can lead to heart failure and death.

4. Mozambican spitting cobra


The venomous olive-gray snake lives in Africa. It is one of the most deadly snakes, after the Black Mamba. The unique power of the snake lies in the ability to accurately spit poison into the eyes of the enemy, which can cause blindness. Has an extremely aggressive character.

3. Egyptian cobra


The most common type of cobra found in Africa. Causes hundreds of deaths on the continent. IN in search of prey, it can crawl into a person’s home, attack chickens and the owner himself. When bitten, the average dose of venom of the Egyptian cobra is 190 mg, which is why it is considered the most dangerous of all snakes.

2. Chain viper or Russell's viper


In India, most deaths occur due to the bites of this snake. The venom of the chain viper is very toxic and after 15–20 minutes after the bite, the human heart stops due to a strong decrease blood pressure.


The Black Mamba is at the top of the list of the most dangerous snakes. Most often it has an olive green color, and got its name because of the black color of its mouth. Extremely aggressive. Can reach speeds of more than 19 km/h. Some specimens reach up to 4.5 meters in length.

The snake poses a serious danger to the inhabitants of Africa, because the poison has an instant effect and without the timely administration of an antidote, the probability of death is 100%.

Many people sympathize with snakes and even, quite often, keep them as pets. Meanwhile, snakes are one of the most terrible and dangerous living creatures on the planet, and this is not surprising. Many species of these reptiles obtain food by biting their prey and injecting poison, which is produced by special glands. This is what it's all about main danger snake. A bite from any reptile can lead to death. However, snakes very rarely attack a person first; more often, this happens if they are provoked or disturbed.

Rattlesnake

The only snake in our ranking whose homeland is North America. It can be easily recognized by the thickening in the tail, which resembles a rattle. This snake is capable of striking at a distance of 2/3 of its body length. The species from the eastern part of the continent is considered more dangerous. Individuals who have not reached sexual maturity are more dangerous than adults due to their inability to regulate the amount of toxin administered. Most species of rattlesnakes have hemotoxic venom that damages tissue, destroys organs and causes blood to clot (coagulopathy). In some cases, after a snake bite, scars remain on the body, even with timely treatment.

General symptoms: difficulty breathing, excessive salivation, extensive hemorrhages, paralysis. Untreated rattlesnake bites, especially from larger species, almost always leave serious injuries and can result in death. Timely medical care reduces the likelihood of death to 4%

Australian Spinetail

Habitat of the spinytail, Australia and New Guinea. These reptiles hunt their relatives, other snakes, attacking them, as a rule, from ambush. The Australian spinytail has external resemblance with a rattlesnake: the same triangular head shape and short, squat body. When bitten, the snake often injects from 40 to 100 mg of poison. Since, according to its properties, the spiny tail venom is a neurotoxin, it is considered the most dangerous because it causes paralysis respiratory organs, as a result of which death can occur within 6 hours.

The antidote used for a stingtail bite works quite effectively, reducing overall symptoms and alleviating the condition of the victim. Before the invention of the antidote, the mortality rate from its bite was 50%.

Interesting fact: the snake's throwing speed during an attack is 0.13 seconds.

Viper

Vipers are found in many parts of the planet, but perhaps the most poisonous species, sand faff, which lives mainly in the Middle East and Central Asia, in particular: India and China. These snakes hunt at night and become especially active after rain.

Symptoms of viper venom getting into the blood: swelling of the affected area, pain in the bite area, bleeding often occurs, decreased blood pressure and slow heartbeat; in severe cases, blisters may appear and extensive necrosis of tissue and muscles may develop. Nausea, vomiting and facial swelling occur in approximately 30% of cases. It's a dull pain, not only in the affected area, can last from 2 to 4 weeks. Within 1 to 14 days, death may occur from sepsis, cardiac or respiratory failure.

Philippine Cobra

The Philippine cobra is one of the most deadly dangerous varieties cobra It is noteworthy that this reptile is capable of “spitting” venom at a distance of up to 3 m. Just like the Australian spiny tail, the cobra has a neurotoxic venom that causes paralysis of the respiratory and cardiac systems, as a result of which death occurs within 30 minutes from the moment of the bite. Damage skin upon bite are minimal.

Common symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, headache, abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea.

Tiger Snake

Habitat Australia. Tiger snake venom is also a neurotoxin. After it enters the bloodstream, it causes localized pain at the site of the bite, tingling, numbness, sweating, and after some time suffocation and death occur. Most often, this snake, when meeting a person, tries to hide as quickly as possible, but can become dangerous and attack if it is caught by surprise or driven into a corner. The tiger snake attacks with lightning speed and without missing a beat.

Black Mamba

The black mamba is found in many parts of the African continent. These reptiles are known to be very aggressive and strike with incredible accuracy. Interesting fact, the black mamba is the fastest snake in the world. It can reach speeds of up to 20 km/h. The venom of these snakes is a fast-acting neurotoxin. The black mamba can bite up to 12 times in a row, and one bite is enough to kill 10 to 25 adults.

Symptoms of a black mamba bite: sharp pain at the site of the bite, less noticeable than from the bite of snakes with hemotoxic (rattlesnake) venom. The victim then experiences tingling in the mouth and extremities, double vision, confusion, trembling, possibly foaming at the mouth and nose, and severe convulsions. In the absence medical care, symptoms progress rapidly: pallor appears, severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, respiratory arrest, soon followed by coma and death. In the absence of an antidote, the mortality rate from black mamba venom, almost 100%, is one of the highest. Depending on the nature of the bite, death can occur in just 15-30 minutes.

Taipan

The taipan lives in Australia. This snake can be compared to the black mamba in morphology and behavior. When released into the blood, the poison promotes the formation of blood clots, thereby blocking arteries and veins. It is so strong that it can kill up to 12,000 guinea pigs. In addition, the poison also has the properties of a neurotoxin. Until the advent of antivenom, there were no known survivors of a taipan bite. Even with proper medical care and timely administration of the antidote, the victim is guaranteed to remain in the intensive care unit.

Malayan blue krait

The Malayan or blue krait is by far the deadliest of the snakes of this species. Found throughout the area Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Half of the cases of Malayan krait bites end fatal, even with timely medical care and administered antidote. This snake hunts and kills other snakes, including the krait family. They become more aggressive at night, because... lead night look life. However, in most cases, when meeting a person, they try to hide. The snake's venom is 16 times stronger than that of a cobra. When bitten, convulsions occur and paralysis develops quite quickly. Before the advent of antivenom, 85% of blue krait bites were fatal. Death can occur within 6 to 12 hours.

Brown King or Mulga

The habitat of this reptile, like many other poisonous snakes, is Australia. The eastern variety of the Brown King is considered the most dangerous. 1/1400 ounce of this snake's venom is enough to kill a person. The poison, even of immature individuals, can kill a person. This snake has a difficult character and can become aggressive very quickly. There are known cases when Brown snake chased the aggressors for quite a long time, repeatedly biting them. Despite mortal danger In half of the attacks, the Brown Snake does not inject venom into the body of the victim and generally tries not to bite if possible. Since these snakes react to movement, when meeting them it is better to freeze and stand still.

Taipan or Fierce Snake

The taipan is the most poisonous snake on our planet. Its venom is the most toxic of all snakes living on land. The venom produced by this snake is enough to kill 100 people or 250,000 mice. The toxicity of its venom is 10 times higher than that of a rattlesnake and 50 times more than that of a cobra. Fortunately, the taipan is not aggressive, and moreover, it is quite rare to meet on a person’s path to wildlife. Deaths An encounter with this snake has not yet been recorded, but potentially, death in an adult from a taipan bite can occur within 45 minutes.

Belcher's sea snake

Found in the waters of Southeast Asia and Northern Australia, sea ​​snake The Belchera is the most venomous sea snake in the world. It has such a strong poison that literally a few milligrams is enough to kill 1000 adults. This is very dangerous snake, but despite this, less than a quarter of her bites contain poison, and besides, she is quite peaceful. Most often, fishermen suffer from its bite because they have to take their nets out of the water while fishing.

If you regularly read the site, then most likely you are already familiar with the previously published list of the rarest snakes. In today's top we will talk about the ten most poisonous snakes in the world. We also recommend that you read the list with photos of the ten most poisonous spiders in the world. So let's begin.

A rattlesnake is easily identified by the rattle at the end of its tail. Surprisingly, juvenile snakes are considered more dangerous than adults due to their inability to control the amount of venom they inject. Even fast and effective treatment, may result in loss of limb or death. Common symptoms are difficulty breathing, paralysis, increased salivation and massive hemorrhages.

Death Adder


They live in Australia and New Guinea. They tend to hunt and kill other snakes, including the snakes on this list. Typically, the Death Adder snake releases approximately 40–100 mg upon bite. poison. Its bite in humans causes paralysis and can lead to death within 6 hours. Symptoms usually appear within 24 to 48 hours. Antivenom is very successful due to the relatively slow progression of symptoms, but before it was developed, this snake's bite was fatal in 50% of cases.


The viper is nocturnal and is often active after rain. During the daytime, it most often basks in the sun. These snakes are incredibly fast and reach a length of 60–70 centimeters, but sometimes rare specimens can be found that reach a length of 1 meter. Most of these species have a venom that causes symptoms - pain at the site of the bite, which can last for 2-4 weeks. Vomiting and facial swelling occurs in approximately one third of all cases. There is a sharp drop in blood pressure and heart rate. Death from sepsis, respiratory failure, or heart failure may occur one day to two weeks after the bite, or even later.


The venom of the Philippine cobra is the deadliest of all cobra species. The peculiarity of these snakes is that they are capable of spitting venom at a distance of up to 3 meters. Their venom is a neurotoxin that affects the heart and respiratory system, the bite can lead to respiratory paralysis and death will occur within thirty minutes. Symptoms may include headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, collapse and seizures.


The tiger snake is common in southeastern Australia. Habitats include forests, meadows, grasslands and deserts. The length of these snakes reaches up to 2 m. As a rule, they have a peaceful disposition, but it should be remembered that the Tiger snake is one of the most dangerous land snakes in the world, occupying 6th place in the ranking. Death from the bite can occur within half an hour, but usually takes 6–24 hours. Symptoms may include localized pain in the leg and neck, tingling, numbness and heavy sweating.


One of the most dangerous and poisonous snakes living in Africa. It reaches a length of 2.4–3 meters, but in nature there are individual specimens reaching a length of up to 4.5 meters. The black mamba is also the most fast snake on the planet, capable of reaching speeds of up to 20 km/h. It has an aggressive disposition and often attacks first. These scary snakes can bite their prey up to 12 times in a row. The initial symptoms are pain in the bite area. The victim then experiences a tingling sensation in the mouth and extremities, double vision, tunnel vision, fever, increased salivation (including foaming of the mouth and nose), and severe ataxia (lack of muscle control). If the victim does not receive medical attention, symptoms quickly progress to severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, pallor, shock, nephrotoxicity, and paralysis. Eventually, the victim experiences convulsions, respiratory arrest, coma and death. Without an antidote, the mortality rate is almost 100%. Depending on the nature of the bite, it can lead to death in 15 minutes to 3 hours.

Taipan or coastal taipan


Large Australian snakes whose venom is strong enough to kill up to 12 thousand guinea pigs. The venom of this snake is highly neurotoxic and forms blood clots that block the arteries and veins of the victim. Before the advent of antivenom, there were no survivors of the bite, and death usually occurred within an hour. Even with successful administration of an antidote, most of those bitten will remain in intensive care. In behavior and habitat, the Taipan can be compared to Black mamba(5th place).

Blue Krayt


The Malayan snake or blue krait lives in Southeast Asia and Indonesia. 50% of bites are fatal, even after antivenom is administered. Krayt, hunts and kills other snakes. More aggressive under cover of darkness. However, in general they are quite timid and often try to hide rather than fight. The venom is a neurotoxin that is 16 times more potent than cobra venom. It quickly causes muscle paralysis. Fortunately, cases of human bites are very rare due to the nocturnal lifestyle of these snakes. Before the advent of antivenom, the mortality rate was 85%. Death usually occurs within 6–12 hours after the bite.


Don't let this snake's innocuous name fool you, its venom is enough to kill an adult. Unfortunately, this snake prefers to settle along large settlements Australia. The brown snake has good speed and, under certain circumstances, can be aggressive. Even juvenile snakes of this species can kill a person. They only react to movement, so it is better to stand still when you encounter this snake. It is not only one of the most poisonous, but also one of the longest snakes in the world.

There are more than 2,500 species of snakes on our planet. They can be found everywhere except Antarctica and a few islands such as New Zealand and Ireland, and there are also none on the small islands of the Atlantic and Pacific (its central part) oceans. However, among all the snake diversity, only 10% are poisonous.

Poisonous snakes use venom for hunting to kill their prey, but they can also bite for defense purposes, but before attacking they most often try to warn the enemy about this. Snakes swallow their prey whole, without chewing it, and so that the victim does not resist and does not complicate the swallowing process, the snake stings it, injecting its poison. By the way, in a defensive snake bite, there is significantly less toxic substance than in a bite during a hunt.

Taipans

Taipans (lat. Oxyuranus) - very poisonous Australian snakes from the asp family, which include only two species: the cruel snake (lat. Oxyuranus microlepidotus) and taipan (lat. Oxyuranus scutellatus). These are quite large snakes. Their bite is considered very dangerous, even the most dangerous among all modern snakes living on Earth. Until the antidote was discovered (in 1955), people died from the bite of these snakes in 90% of cases.

Cruel (fierce) snake (lat. Oxyuranus microlepidotus) can reach up to 1.9 m in length. It can be found in the dry lowland fields of Central Australia, where it hunts small mammals and frogs. The venom of a cruel snake may well be enough to kill 100 adults. By comparison, her poison stronger than poison cobras approximately 180 times.

Taipan or coastal taipan (lat. Oxyuranus scutellatus) - this large (3-3.5 m in length) representative of asps differs from its predecessor in its bad disposition and is considered one of the most aggressive snakes. The taipan is especially dangerous during periods of skin change and reproduction. Found in northeastern Australia and New Guinea. To the delight of the local population, the taipan rarely approaches their homes, but despite this, every year someone suffers from its bites.

Black mamba

(lat. Dendroaspis polylepis) is the most poisonous snake of the African continent. It can be found in savannas and woodlands of Angola, Uganda, Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, etc. In addition, this snake has a very bad reputation. It is considered the fastest (speeds up to 20 km/h) and aggressive snake in Africa.

Its length can be about 2.4–3 m, and some specimens grow up to 4.5 m in length. It got its name because of its black mouth. terrifying at anyone who comes her way. Having bitten once, the mamba tends to bite several more times. Being the owner of such speed, the mamba often chases its prey rather than sitting in ambush. In one bite, the mamba injects up to 400 mg of poison. Lethal dose for an adult – about 10-15 mg. Its poison causes paralysis and death.

Tiger snake

Tiger snake (lat. Notechis scutatus) - another representative of the adders and a resident of Australia. Although it is a small (up to 2 m) snake, it is very poisonous. Small animals bitten by it die instantly. The danger lies in the fact that it is found almost throughout Australia and is one of the most numerous snakes inhabiting this continent.

Spectacled snake or Indian cobra

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, South China(to the Philippines and the islands of the Malay Archipelago). The offspring of this cobra are poisonous from the very first minutes after birth. I spectacled cobra contains toxins that cause damage to the central nervous system. Just one gram of poison can kill 140 medium-sized dogs.

Malay krait

Malay 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.

Brown king, or mulga

Brown king, or mulga (lat. Pseudechis australis) is a highly venomous snake found throughout Australia. The bite of this large (up to 3 m in length) snake is real threat For human life, since after its bite there is a high probability of death.

Nosed enhydrina

Nosed enhydrina (lat. Enhydrina schistosa) is a poisonous inhabitant of the tropical Indo-Pacific region. Although it is a poisonous snake, it has a rather peaceful character. Seeing a fisherman at sea, he prefers to move away from him. The venom of this snake is 4-8 times more toxic than that of a cobra. The lethal dose for humans is about 1.5 mg of poison. Its venom contains strong neurotoxins.

Sandy efa

Sandy epha (lat. Echis carinatus) is a poisonous snake from the viper family. This is not large snake(50-60 cm in length) lives in clay and loess deserts, near river cliffs and in bush thickets of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, as well as Africa, Algeria, Palestine, Persia, Arabia and in the western part of the Hindustan Peninsula. When meeting a person, it makes a characteristic rustling sound, produced by the friction of jagged rings. If a person survives after being bitten by such a snake, it is likely that he may remain crippled.

Harlequin adder

Harlequin, or eastern asp (lat. Micrurus fulvius) is a venomous snake native to northeastern Mexico and the southeastern 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.

Ceylon keffiyeh

Ceylon keffiyeh (lat. Trimeresurus trigonocephalus) is one of the most aggressive venomous snakes. This resident of the Pacific coast of America is notorious among the local population. Its bite is considered fatal to humans (it thins the blood, causing severe swelling).

African boomslang

African boomslang (lat. Dispholidus typus) is a very poisonous snake that lives in the South and South West Africa. Its poison is toxic: when it enters the bloodstream, it destroys the cells of the body. African boomslang poison 2 times more dangerous than poison Indian cobra and vipers. He is a very aggressive snake, so you should not approach him or make sudden movements - he will attack without hesitation.

Black snake

Black snake (lat. Pseudechis porphyriacus) - this large snake (up to 3 meters long) is feared by all residents of Australia, since its bite is fatal to humans. It is considered a “record holder” for the amount of poison released.

Bushmaster

Bushmaster (lat. Lachesis muta) is a poisonous large snake (up to 4 m in length), living in South America. Bushmaster venom is dangerous to human life, but the mortality rate is not high - 10-12%. Has a paralytic effect.

Common viper

Common viper (lat. Vipera berus) is a poisonous snake from the genus of true vipers. Lives in Eurasia. Its bite is very painful, but rarely leads to death. Hemorrhagic swelling and necrosis occurs at the site of the bite. Signs of poisoning: dizziness, lethargy, headache, nausea, shortness of breath. In especially severe cases, degenerative changes in the kidneys and liver may occur.

Ruzel's Viper

Ruzel's viper (lat. Daboia russelii russelii) - common in Sri Lanka. It is considered dangerous, although not so poisonous. The thing is that where it lives, they do not produce an antidote, so many local residents die from its bites.