Deadly beauty... What is it like?
A vivid example is such dangerous, but attractive creatures - snakes.
Despite their "poisonous" fame, many people sympathize with them, and even acquire them as pets. Maybe you are just that exotic lover?
Or are you an avid traveler who cannot live a day without conquering the peaks or cutting through the plains?
In any case, even extreme fans should be careful. And, to warn you and dispel the most popular myths about snakes, we have compiled the top 10 most dangerous and poisonous snakes on the planet.
Carefully read the information below, and then no snake can become a threat to you!
The viper belongs to the family of poisonous snakes, consisting of ten genera and sixty species. Their habitat is quite wide - Northern and Central Europe, Central Asia and Africa.
The body length of the viper ranges from 50-80 centimeters, but there are species that reach up to 1 meter. Its color is very variable - it can be of any brightness and tonality, but usually it is black, gray, brown or light yellow tones.
The unifying feature is the presence of a strip along the back, which, as a rule, has the shape of a zigzag. The tail and abdomen are lighter than the body. The head has a pronounced triangular shape with a rounded nose. The pupils are vertical, but in low light they can be rounded.
All vipers are nocturnal, but during the day they prefer to bask in the sun. They feed mainly on mice, moles, birds, lizards and even snakes.
These reptiles are completely non-aggressive, do not like to be disturbed and try to avoid meeting people. Only in the event of a deliberate provocation, or the unexpected appearance of a person, will they try to bite him. Starting the attack, the viper slowly bends back, turning the lower part of the body into a ring, begins to hiss, expressing its displeasure. The bite itself occurs instantly - within 70 milliseconds. When throwing, the viper focuses on lightning speed, so it often misses, but immediately tries to bite again. During the throw, they can open their mouths up to 180 degrees.
And yet, the bite of this snake rarely results in lethal outcome– only in case of failure to provide medical assistance. For a third of the victims, a meeting with a viper generally occurs painlessly and without consequences. For the rest, nausea, vomiting, a sharp headache, chills and an allergic reaction to the poison, which can provoke pulmonary edema, are possible.
9 Spectacled Snake (Indian Cobra)
Beautiful and very "smart" snake. In addition to the main bright and variegated color, glasses are “painted” on the upper part of the body, and this pattern not only helps the cobra to stand out in the animal world, but also has a protective function. Points, as it were, warn that the enemy is always under control. Often a spectacle snake can be found near a person’s dwelling, because there you can always easily profit from small pets, rats and mice. Naturally, such a neighborhood does not please people at all. But this snake very rarely attacks first, and never attacks stealthily. That is why in India it is called noble. Seeing a person, the cobra tries to hide, but if it fails, it takes a defensive stance, straightens its “hood” and starts hissing aggressively. She can throw, but not bite, sometimes bites, but does not inject poison. But all this is not out of good intentions, but out of greed - he does not want to waste precious poison. But if, nevertheless, a cobra has bitten a person, then there is very little time for salvation. In less than an hour, dangerous symptoms appear, and within a few hours, heart failure and death occur. The cubs that are born are poisonous from birth. And small animals from the bite of this reptile die immediately. Often these reptiles perform "dances", where the caster with the help of a pipe makes them sway to the surprise of an enthusiastic audience.
Very dangerous tropical poisonous snake with beautiful skin color. She was nicknamed rattlesnake for the characteristic sound coming from the tip of her tail. She hails from America. These reptiles are excellent swimmers, and in the water they are completely harmless. But on land it is better to stay away from her, although if she is not irritated and irritated, this “rattle” will not attack a person. She can strike at a distance equal to more than half of her body. The bite of this reptile is very powerful, it can bite through tight clothes and strong shoes. This is the danger that this snake carries in itself. I rattlesnake very dangerous. He destroys internal organs and fabrics. The bite can be fatal if antivenom is not administered in time, fortunately modern medicine has long used such drugs.
The risk of meeting with the spiny tail is only in Australia and New Guinea. These snakes prey on almost everyone, without any fear. Both relatives and other reptiles can be attacked. A sting of a thorntail usually contains forty to one hundred milligrams of venom.
And since the Australian spiketail is classified as neurotoxic by the type of poison, it rightfully takes its place in our top of the most dangerous and poisonous snakes.
The consequence of the bite is paralysis of the respiratory system, due to which the victim usually dies after six to seven hours.
However, thanks to the invention of the antidote, medicine can now reduce the symptoms in general, and alleviate the condition of the bitten.
Of all its species, the Malay, or, as it is also called the “blue” krait, is recognized as the most dangerous. You can meet such a snake while in Indonesia and in any piece of Southeast Asia.
More than half of the bites of this krait are fatal, despite even timely emergency medical care and the introduction of an antidote.
The "blue" krait easily hunts and kills other snakes, even those belonging to its genus. After dark, they become more aggressive, as they hunt at this particular time of day. But, nevertheless, when meeting with a person, they first try to hide.
The venom of the Malayan krait is sixteen times stronger and more dangerous than that of the cobra. After a bite, convulsions begin almost instantly. After a short period of time, paralysis sets in.
Before the invention of the antidote, 89% of the victims died, however, even with the advent of the neutralizer, the mortality rate did not decrease much.
This is one of the most dangerous reptiles in the world. The length of this snake can reach three meters. Its color is variable, the top can be green, olive, brown, black, there are spots or stripes on the body. The abdomen is yellow or yellow-green. This asp lives in Africa, in the south and southwest. He likes to hide in the ground, in trees and bushes, he moves perfectly through the trees, the main thing is not to confuse him with a branch and not to grab a boomslang. That's when he becomes aggressive and attacks, and if you do not touch him, then when he meets a person, he tries to hide. The poison is very dangerous, small animals die from a bite within a couple of minutes. Due to the structure of the teeth, it is “uncomfortable” for the boomslang to bite large animals, so it bites several times and, as it were, “chews” the victim in its mouth. Likes to eat birds and their eggs. Very graceful, with lightning-fast reaction, dangerous snake.
4. Mulga or Brown King
This type of dangerous snake is common in Australia. Mulga is a large snake ranging in size from 1.5 to 3 meters. The color of the skin is different, it depends on the habitat - it can be light brown in the inhabitants of the desert, or it can be almost black if the snake lives in cold areas. Its poison is very toxic and about 150 mg is released at a time. And the worst thing is that after biting, the mulga does not let go of its victim, but holds it with its long teeth, “pouring” more and more poison into it. She does not disdain lizards, frogs, mammals, as well as other reptiles, and even poisonous ones. And she digests them with ease, because her stomach is adapted even for this. The peculiarity of this snake lies in the wide neck, into which the head imperceptibly passes, although in other species of snakes, due to glands with poison, the head stands out against the background of a narrow neck. Females lay up to twenty eggs and immediately after that they throw them, and after two or three months new brown kings are born on their own.
Terrible, fast, merciless, relentless and very poisonous - all this is about her, about the bloodthirsty African reptile - the Black Mamba. Moreover, it is not called black because of the color of the skin, it can be different: from dark brown to dark gray and from olive to green. But the color of the mouth is eerily black, and the shape of the jaw is similar in shape to a coffin. Mamba venom acts very quickly. After her bite, death can occur in 15 minutes or a maximum of three hours, that's how much time a person has to administer an antidote. Mamba can bite up to twelve times one victim. At one time, she can release from 100 to 400 mg of poison, although 15-20 mg is enough to kill an adult with this poison. And despite the advances in medicine, thousands of people in Africa die every year from the bites of this snake. She likes to settle near human habitation, having taken a fancy to garbage dumps, so everyday activities such as taking out the garbage make it quite an extreme activity. The black mamba reaches a length of up to three meters, it is one of the fastest snakes on the planet, moving at a speed of about 20 km / h. Its diet includes birds, squirrels, small rodents. Attacks a person, most often only when disturbed.
And this asp lives in pastures, in forests, deserts, meadows in the southeast of Australia, in Tasmania, New Guinea. This is a relatively small snake - its length is usually up to two meters. But with such a small size, its poison is considered one of the most poisonous. After the bite of this snake, small animals die instantly, and the poison contained in its glands is enough to kill 400 people. Favorite food - birds, mice, frogs. The main danger lies in the fact that almost the whole day this "beauty" lies motionless and it is very easy to mistake her for a stick. And most importantly, when meeting with her, do not disturb her and stay as far away from her as possible. In fact, this is a fairly “peaceful” snake, unless you touch it, it itself does not throw itself at people, does not crawl into a dwelling, and generally tries to stay away from people. And only if necessary, protection can attack itself.
Taipan belongs to the genus of poisonous snakes, the family of asps. You can meet him on the coasts of Australia and in the southeast of New Guinea. These extremely venomous snakes grow up to about three meters. They are very aggressive. Before the development of an antidote from their bite, they died in almost 100% of cases. The Taipan is easily recognizable by its long fangs, light cream head, orange eyes, and brownish coat. They drive for the most part daytime lifestyle. They feed on rats, birds, lizards and small animals. This type of snake has excellent hearing and vision. They swiftly sneak up on their prey, then, approaching, raise their head, shaking it, and attack with lightning speed. After that, they wait for the poison to work in order to eat. Taipan venom blocks muscle contractions, causing paralysis, disrupts blood clotting, causes vomiting, severe headaches, and later convulsions begin, leading to a coma. I consider Taipans to be the most intelligent of all poisonous snakes. They avoid meeting people, but if they feel danger, they will defend themselves by inflicting several bites in a row. One bite is enough poison to kill about a hundred people.
The antidote must be done within three minutes, otherwise death is inevitable.
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 also they are not on the small islands of the Atlantic and Pacific (its central part) oceans. However, among all snake varieties, only 10% are poisonous.
Poisonous snakes use poison for hunting to kill their prey, but they can also bite for defensive 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 impede the process of swallowing, the snake stings it, injecting its poison. By the way, in a protective snake bite, there is much less poisonous substance than in a bite during a hunt.
Taipans
Taipans (lat. Oxyuranus) - very poisonous Australian snakes from the family of asps, which include only two species: a cruel snake (lat. Oxyuranus microlepidotus) and taipan (lat. Oxyuranus scutellatus). These are fairly large snakes. Their bite is considered very dangerous, even the most dangerous among all modern snakes living on Earth. Until an antidote was discovered (in 1955), people died from the bite of these snakes in 90% of cases.
Cruel (ferocious) snake (lat. Oxyuranus microlepidotus) can reach up to 1.9 m in length. It can be found in the dry flat fields of Central Australia, where it preys on small mammals and frogs. The poison of a cruel snake may well be enough to kill 100 adults. In comparison, her poison stronger than poison cobra 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 a bad temper and is considered one of the most aggressive snakes. 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 comes close to their homes, but despite this, someone suffers from its bites every year.
Black Mamba
(lat. Dendroaspis polylepis) - the most poisonous snake of the African continent. It can be found in the 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 snakes in Africa.
Its length can be about 2.4–3 m, and individual specimens grow up to 4.5 m in length. It got its name because of its black mouth, which terrifies anyone who meets on its path. Having bitten once, the mamba tends to bite several more times. Being the owner of such speed, the mamba often chases after its prey, and does not sit in ambush. In one bite, the mamba injects up to 400 mg of poison. The lethal dose for an adult is about 10-15 mg. Its venom causes paralysis and death.
tiger snake
Tiger snake (lat. Notechis scutatus) is another representative of asps and a resident of Australia. Although this is a medium-sized (up to 2 m) snake, however, 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) - 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 offspring of this cobra is poisonous from the very first minutes after birth. I spectacled cobra contains toxins that damage the central nervous system. One gram of poison alone can kill 140 medium-sized dogs.
Malay Krait
Malay krait (lat. Bungarus candidus) is a very dangerous snake from the asp family. Extremely unfriendly. It lives in Australia, South Asia and on the islands of the Malay Archipelago. Its poison is deadly and primarily affects the human brain. Death can come 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 long) snake represents real threat for human life, since after her bite there is a high probability of death.
Nose enhydrina
Nosy enhydrina (lat. Enhydrina schistosa) is a poisonous inhabitant of the tropical Indo-Pacific region. Although it belongs to poisonous snakes, it has a rather peaceful character. Seeing a fisherman in the 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.
sand efa
Sand efa (lat. Echis carinatus ) - the most poisonous snake from the family of vipers. This medium-sized 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 with a person, it makes a characteristic rustling sound, extracted by rubbing jagged rings. If after the bite of such a snake a person survives, then it is likely that he may remain crippled.
harlequin asp
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 for human life. If help is not provided in time, then a person can die in 20-24 hours.
Ceylon keffiyeh
Ceylon keffiyeh (lat. Trimeresurus trigonocephalus) is one of the most aggressive venomous snakes. This inhabitant 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 highly venomous snake native to South and Southwest Africa. Its poison is toxic: getting into the blood, it destroys the cells of the body. African boomslang poison 2 times more dangerous than poison Indian cobra and viper. It belongs to very aggressive snakes, so you should not approach it and make sudden movements - it will attack without hesitation.
black snake
Black snake (lat. Pseudechis porphyriacus) - this large snake (up to 3 meters long) is afraid of all the inhabitants of Australia, since its bite is fatal to humans. It is considered a "record holder" in terms of the amount of poison released.
bushmaster
Bushmaster (lat. Lachesis muta) is a large venomous snake (up to 4 m in length) living in South America. The bushmaster's venom is dangerous to human life, but the mortality rate is not high - 10-12%. It has a paralytic effect.
common viper
Common viper (lat. Vipera berus) - a poisonous snake from the genus of real vipers. Lives in Eurasia. Its bite is very painful, but rarely leads to death. At the site of the bite, hemorrhagic edema and necrosis occur. Signs of poisoning: dizziness, lethargy, headache, nausea, shortness of breath. In especially severe cases, dystrophic changes in the kidneys and liver may occur.
Ruzel's viper
Ruzel's viper (lat. Daboia russelii russelii) is common in Sri Lanka. It is considered dangerous, although not as poisonous. The thing is that where she lives, they do not produce an antidote, so many local residents die from her bites.
The terrestrial fauna has 2500 species of snakes and only 10% of them are considered poisonous. In addition to the deadly poison, some individuals instill fear in those around them with their own size.
The length of some instances king cobra reaches 5.7 m - this is the largest poisonous snake in the world. The top ten also includes one of the most dangerous representatives of this class of reptiles - the black mamba, the bite of which often leads to fatal paralysis of the victim.
10. Chain viper - maximum recorded length of 1.8 m
The most poisonous snake of southern Asia has a beautiful pattern in the form of oval-rhombic spots, which, merging with each other, form an unbreakable chain. Since the chain viper likes to settle in bushes, on dry soil and cultivated land, chance encounters with humans are not uncommon. It is from her bites that most of the inhabitants of India and Indochina suffer. Before the attack, the snake makes a frightening hissing sound, which for local residents is a signal of impending danger.
The poison of the chain viper is highly toxic, therefore, without treatment, death occurs in 15% of cases. At the same time, the poisonous substance of the snake has found application in pharmaceuticals - it is used to make effective drug to stop bleeding.
9. Noisy viper - 1.9 m
One of the most common snakes on the African continent got its name due to the characteristic noise that it makes when it sees danger. As a rule, the noisy viper is active at night, during the day it shows little mobility, reacting poorly to potential prey. The special coloration makes it possible to camouflage well in the withered grass, which sometimes leads to an accidental collision between a snake and a person, with tragic consequences for the latter.
The toxicity index of the noisy viper's venom is sufficient to include it in the list of the most poisonous representatives of the viper family. For one bite, a snake injects 200-700 mg of a poisonous substance, while the lethal dose for an adult male is 100 mg. According to statistics, every 5 bite of a noisy viper is fatal.
8. Gaboon viper - 2.1 m
A characteristic detail of the Gaboon viper is two spike-like scales in the form of horns sticking out between the nostrils. The snake lives in tropical and sub tropical forests West and Central Africa, preferring humid environments. This specimen differs not only in length, but also in thickness - the girth of the body often exceeds 40 cm. Accordingly, the weight of the viper is also quite impressive - the record belongs to an individual caught in 1973, which weighed 11.3 kg with an empty stomach.
Given the habitat in sparsely populated areas, activity at night and a low level of aggressiveness, attacks on humans are extremely rare. However, the venom of the Gaboon viper is highly toxic and can cause kidney failure, tachycardia, and cardiac arrest if left untreated. In this case, the most severe consequences sometimes appear after a day, therefore, even in the absence of serious symptoms after a bite, the victim should immediately contact the nearest medical facility.
7. Rhombic rattlesnake - 2.4 m
The snake owes its name to the characteristic color, the main elements of which are dark brown rhombuses located along the back. The mass of an adult individual reaches an average of 4-5 kg, although especially large specimens weigh more than 10 kg (the record is 15.4 kg). The rhombic rattlesnake lives in the southeastern United States, but its range is constantly decreasing due to catching snakes for medicinal purposes.
The venom-producing gland in the rattlesnake functions from an early age. Without it, the snake will not be able to get its own food. Since the chewing reflex is not developed in this reptile, the paralyzed victim is swallowed whole.
For one bite, 200-800 mg of a toxic substance is released, which, without timely administration of an antidote, causes severe pain, large swelling, thready pulse and spontaneous bleeding from the wound. At the same time, the rhombic rattlesnake does not apply to aggressive creatures.
In self-defense, he attacks only in extreme cases, warning the opponent for a long time with a characteristic sound from the "rattle" located at the end of the tail.
6. Black and white cobra - 2.7 m
The main habitat of the black and white cobra is the forests and savannas of Central and South Africa. She spends a lot of time in the trees, hunting for birds, as well as in the water, floating on the surface and even diving in search of fish. In addition to birds and fish, the snake's diet includes rodents, lizards and small monitor lizards. Before attacking the victim, the reptile raises its body and inflates the hood characteristic of all cobras.
The venom of the black and white cobra is the second most toxic in Africa. However, people rarely suffer from it due to the solitary lifestyle of the snake and its fearfulness. At the sight of a person or a large animal, she prefers to retreat than to attempt an attack.
5. Mulga - 3 m
Due to the characteristic coloration, this snake is often called the brown king. Mulga lives in almost the entire territory of Australia, except for Victoria and Tasmania, and is also found on the island of New Guinea. At the same time, the internal range is quite wide - the mulga loves forests, pastures, deserts and deep gorges, feeding mainly on rodents, birds and other snakes.
Since the brown king hunts both day and night, a human encounter is highly likely. Mulgi poison has a very high toxicity, yielding in this indicator only to taipan and tiger snake. In a single bite, a snake is capable of releasing up to 150 mg of a neurotoxic substance, which is sufficient to create a threat to life without prompt medical attention.
4. Taipan - 3.3 m
Taipan is one of the most poisonous and, perhaps, the most dangerous snake for humans in the world. Due to its diurnal lifestyle and feeding on small rodents, this specimen is a frequent visitor to human settlements. Its habitat is the state of Queensland (Australia) and the southeastern part of New Guinea. It is the population of Queensland that suffers most from the taipan. Despite the availability of the serum, one in two people in this state die after being bitten by a snake.
Taipan is extremely aggressive and fast. In case of danger, he raises his head to a vertical position, begins to shake it monotonously, after which he strikes the enemy with lightning speed several blows in a row. The poisonous gland is capable of producing up to 400 mg of poison at a time, which has a nerve-paralytic effect and disrupts blood clotting. A taipan bite can be fatal in as little as 4 hours, which is why the mortality rate is so high.
3. Bushmaster - 4 m
Bushmaster - the largest representative of poisonous reptiles South America. This snake loves a humid environment, so it chose dense thickets as its habitat. rainforest. She has a shy disposition and tries to avoid areas inhabited by people. Therefore, cases of human bites are rare.
Bushmaster uses poison only in the process of hunting, choosing rodents, lizards and birds as victims. The snake is able to wait for potential prey for a long time, setting up an ambush among foliage or grass. In this position, it can be for several days or even weeks.
During the attack, the bushmaster plunges teeth up to 4 cm long into the body of the victim and injects up to 400 mg of poison, which has a paralytic effect on the central nervous system. For humans, a poisonous substance poses a serious danger, although death after a bite occurs only in 10% of cases.
2. Black mamba - 4.3 m
Despite its name, this type of mamba is not black in color. Usually the dominant color is dark olive or grayish brown. Actually, the name of the snake was obtained due to the black mouth, which it opens to intimidate the enemy before attacking. The range of the black mamba is shrouds and woodlands of the eastern, central and southern parts of the African continent.
The snake has a reputation for being an extremely dangerous reptile. Before the advent of the antidote, her bite was almost 100% fatal. The main component of the poison are dendrotoxins - blockers of potassium channels in the nerve fibers of the body.
After a bite, a person feels severe burning pain, nausea and vomiting. However, the most serious pathology is rapidly progressive peripheral paralysis, leading to respiratory failure. Without the introduction of an antidote, death can occur within an hour after the bite.
1. King cobra - 5.7 m
The largest poisonous snake lives in tropical forests in the south and southeast of Asia. Other snakes are considered the main diet of the king cobra, which often become victims themselves in the process of hunting for rodents and birds. That is why its scientific name is "Ophiophagus hannah", which translates as "Snake Eater". As a rule, the king cobra chooses a certain territory for living and hunting, although it is able to move tens of kilometers in search of food.
Cobra venom has a neurotoxic effect and can cause paralysis of the muscular system and respiratory arrest. In the case of a full-fledged bite, death can occur within 15 minutes due to the large amount of poisonous substance. At the same time, the snake often dispenses the amount of poison, and as a self-defense, it can even carry out “idle” bites in order to scare away the troublemaker. Therefore, in general, only 10% of king cobra attacks become fatal to humans.
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