Snakes can be found on every continent, from the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia to Australia (excluding Antarctica), in the sea, and as high as 16,000 feet (4,900 meters) in Asia’s Himalayan Mountains. They are among the most feared life forms on earth.
Of the approximately 3,900 species, just 725 are venomous, while just 250 are capable of killing a human with a single bite. Snakes rarely attack humans as a part of their diet, and they are more threatened by humans than we are of them. Nonetheless, they have the second highest human fatality rate of any animal. Non-venomous snakes occasionally kill humans; however, this is extremely rare (a single or two cases per year) and usually occurs during encounters with pet constrictor boas such as pythons.
Poisonous snakes, on the contrary, are to blame for a larger number of deaths and injuries (such as tissue necrosis), which leads to mutilation of body parts. Snake bites are most prevalent and severe in developing countries, where antivenom is not as accessible, particularly in the countryside.
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Top 10 Poisonous Snakes in The world
In this article, we have tried to narrow down the list of the most poisonous snakes from around the world based on the effects of their venoms. Some species are capable of killing more than a dozen individuals with a poison released in a single bite. So without further ado, let’s dive deep into the scary world of the most feared reptile on planet.
10. Black Mamba
The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is an extremely venomous snake that belongs to the Elapidae family. It got its infamous name from the black ink-like appearance within its mouth; however, their skin color ranges from grey to dark brown. The black mamba snake is long, slender, and cylindrical. Its head is coffin-shaped, with a slightly noticeable brow ridge and a medium-sized eye. They are typically about 8 feet (2.5 meters) long but some are found to be about 4.5 meters long. It can travel at speeds of up to 16 km/h (10 mph) over suitable surfaces for short distances. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
- Size: 2.5 – 4.5 meters
- Fangs size: 6.5 mm (0.26 in)
- Speed: 16 km/h (10 mph)
- Venom: 100 – 120 mg (average per bite)
- Fatality: 100 % (if untreated)
The black mamba is a swift and agile snake that is cautious and frequently unpredictable. Black mambas in their natural environment rarely allow humans to get any closer than 40 meters (130 feet). It retreats in a hole or shrub when it senses danger. It will likely put on a threatening show when approached, opening to reveal its black mouth and flicking its tongue. Additionally, it might hiss and expand its neck into a hood resembling a cobra’s. It can bite multiple times in quick succession and can strike at a significant distance. If you end up seeing one, you might want to think before approaching it so that you don’t end up like other not-so-lucky humans.
9. Common Lancehead (Bothrops Atrox)
The common lancehead, additionally referred to as Bothrops atrox, fer-de-lance, or Barba amarilla, is a highly poisonous pit viper species. These pit vipers, which inhabit in Central and South America and may reach lengths of 3.9 to 8.2 feet (1.2 to 2.5 meters) and weigh up to 13 pounds (6 kilograms), are responsible for more than half of all snakebite venom poisonings in Central America.
Their skin color pattern is extremely varied, that can be olive, brown, tan, gray, yellow, or (occasionally) rusty. They also have pale borders that, in some circumstances, are noticeable, and can be overrun from below by tan or gray pigment, separating them into pairs of ventrolateral patches. The underside might be white, cream, or yellowish gray, accompanied by darker gray to black mottling posteriorly that fades under the tail.
- Size: 1.2 – 2.5 meters
- Fangs size: not available
- Speed: not available
- Venom: 110 – 124 mg (average per bite)
- Fatality: 100 % (if untreated)
Common lanceheads are predators that mostly consume small mammals and birds, but occasionally frogs, lizards, and tarantulas. They can choose the sit-and-wait approach, relying on their disguise, and then attack passing prey, or they may actively graze on dirt or in leaf litter. The common lancehead is easily agitated. When confronted, they prefer to use their camouflage in order to avoid detection, although they may also leave, rattle their tail against the leaf litter, or attack.
These snakes are known to hunt for rodents in coffee and banana plantations. Workers are frequently bitten by snakes, which can hide for hours and strike quickly. Common lancehead venom contains anticoagulant qualities and can result in death from a brain hemorrhage. Its venom kills within minutes and frequently causes severe necrosis, making bodily tissue black.
8. Boomslang
The boomslang snake belongs to the Colubridae family and is highly venomous. It is found throughout Africa, but particularly in Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. The average adult boomslang measures 100-160 centimeters (3.3-5.2 feet) in total length (including tail). Some measure more than 183 centimeters (6.00 feet). Weight ranges between 175 and 510 g (0.386 to 1.124 lb), with an average of 299.4 g (0.660 lb). The eyes are extremely big, and the head has a distinctive egg-like form.
- Size: 3.3 – 6 feet
- Fangs size: 5 mm
- Speed: 6 km/h (4 mph)
- Venom: 1.6 – 8 mg (average per bite)
- Fatality: 100 % (if untreated)
The boomslang has superb vision and frequently swings its head from side to side to better see anything right in front of it. It is a good climber and highly arboreal, residing primarily in forested environments but occasionally hiding underground when the weather is bad.
They have the ability to retract their fangs within their jaws when not in use. This snake, among other poisonous snakes, produces hemotoxic venom that causes internal and external bleeding in its victims, according to the Museum. Death from a boomslang bite can be horrific. Blood will also begin to pass via the victim’s stools, urine, saliva, and vomit until death. Victims experience significant muscle and brain hemorrhaging, and blood begins to leak out of every possible exit, including the gums and nostrils, as well as the smallest of incisions.
7. Eastern Tiger Snake
Tiger snakes (Notechis scutatus) are big, highly venomous snakes with fixed fangs that are found throughout southern Australia, including the coastal islands and Tasmania. It resembles a tiger with its yellow and black scales. These snakes have multiple distinct bands of varying widths covering them from the nape to the tip of their tails. They are colored from brown to olive. Tiger Snake striping can range in color from a light cream to a coppery orange. The length of this snake is normally around 1.2 metres (3 feet 11 inches). With comparatively big scales, these snakes possess a stocky build.
- Size: 1.2 – 2.5 meters
- Fangs size: not available
- Speed: 19 km/h (12 mph)
- Venom: 110 – 124 mg (average per bite)
Tiger snakes are typically found in coastal locations, where they prefer swamps, streams, reservoirs, and other habitats near waterways, as well as refuge near permanent supplies for water in pastoral regions. Tiger snake venom contains highly strong neurotoxins, coagulants, hemolysis, and mycotoxins. A bite can cause localized discomfort in the foot and neck, tingling, numbness, and perspiration, followed by a sudden onset of breathing difficulties and paralysis. Whenever confronted, the Tiger Snake will take advantage of its distinctively large head by flattening it and its throat, much like a cobra might. According to one study, untreated bites result in a fatality rate of 40% to 60%.
6. Russell’s Viper
Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii) is an extremely poisonous snake from the Viperidae family native to South Asia. It’s head is flat, triangular, and separated from the neck. The tip of the nose is blunt, circular, and elevated. The nostrils are huge and located in the center of a single, massive nasal scale. The eyes are big and have yellow or gold flecks. A body’s color pattern is composed of a deep yellow, tan, or brown ground color with three series of dark brown spots running along its body. Russell’s viper can reach a maximum body and tail length of 166 cm (65 in), with an average of 120 cm (47 in) in the mainland.
- Size: 120 – 166 cm
- Fangs size: 16.5 mm (0.65 in)
- Speed: not available
- Venom: 21 – 268 mg (average per bite)
Although it is not limited to any a single habitat, dense woodlands are generally avoided by Russell’s viper. Though it can additionally be found in fields, second generation forests (also known as scrub jungles), and trees plantations, it usually lives in open, grassy or bushy places.
Adults are described as lethargic and sluggish, and they rarely bite until provoked; nonetheless, they can strike with lightning speed. Juveniles are typically more nervous. When threatened, they make a series of S-loops, lift the first third of their body, and emit a hiss reportedly greater compared to that of any other snake. If provoked further, they turn to striking and can apply a lot of strength. If provoked further, they will strike with such ferocity that even large individuals are capable of being lifted off the ground. It’s always better to avoid these little venomous beauty.
5. Saw-Scaled Viper
Saw-scaled vipers (Echis carinatus), also known as carpet vipers, are members of the Viperidae family. These fascinating vipers get their name from ridges of strongly keeled scales along their sides, which are angled upward rather than backward, as is typical in most snakes. It is primarily found in Africa, the Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Saw-scaled vipers are small snakes, with the largest species typically being 90 cm (35 in) in length and the smallest around 30 cm (12 in). Their head is small, wide, pear-shaped, and distinct from the neck. The snout is short and rounded, the eyes are comparatively large, and the body is fairly slim and cylindrical.
- Size: 30 – 90 cm
- Fangs size: not available
- Speed: not available
- Venom: 20 – 35 mg (average per bite)
The saw-scaled viper bundles its body into a narrow ‘S’ shape when it feels threatened, and it rubs its scales together to produce a grating sound that resembles like a small saw. Seeing these tiny snakes use their scales to produce such a loud sound is quite the spectacle. Their venom is predominantly hemotoxic and cytotoxic, preventing blood coagulation and causing severe cell and tissue damage. Young saw-scaled vipers are likely to only eat small insects and other invertebrates. As they mature, they are expected to feed on amphibians and reptiles.
4. Banded Krait
The banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) is a highly poisonous species of the elapidae family that is indigenous to Asia, ranging from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia and Southern China. It is the longest krait, reaching a maximum length of more than 2 metres (6 feet 7 inches). They are easily distinguished by their alternate black and yellow crossbands, that circle the body. The head is large and low, and it is barely distinguishable from the neck. Its black head includes arrowhead-like yellow markings, as do its lips, chin, and throat.
- Size: upto 2 meters (6 ft. 7 in)
- Fangs size: not available
- Speed: not available
- Venom: 20 – 114 mg (average per bite)
Banded kraits can be found in a variety of environments, from woods to agricultural fields. They dwell in termite mounds and rodent burrows near water, and they are frequently found around human settlements, particularly villages, due to the constant supply of rodents and water. The banded krait primarily feeds on other snakes, although it also consumes fish, frogs, skinks, and snake eggs.
Banded kraits are shy, rarely observed, and primarily nocturnal. During the day, they rest in vegetation, pits, or drains. When harassed, they normally cover their heads under their coils and rarely attempt to bite, but at night they become considerably more active and are widely regarded as more dangerous. They are lazy and sluggish even when provoked. They are most frequently seen during the wet season. If bitten, its venom can paralyze muscles and prevent the diaphragm from moving, eventually blocking air from entering the lungs and causing asphyxia.
3. King Cobra
The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is a deadly snake native to Asia. King cobras are found primarily in the rain forests and plains of India, southern China, and Southeast Asia, and their shades of color vary widely from place to region. They thrive in a wide range of environments, including woods, bamboo thickets, mangrove swamps, high-altitude grasslands, and rivers. Male king cobras are larger and paler during the breeding season, and they exhibit sexual dimorphism. Males caught in Kerala weighed up to 10 kg (22 lb) and reached heights of 3.75 m (12.3 ft.). The largest recorded female length was 2.75 m (9 ft.), and its highest weight was 5 kg (11 lb).
- Size: 9 – 13 feet
- Fangs size: 8 – 10 mm
- Speed: 12 mph
- Venom: 400 – 600 mg (average per bite)
With the exception of giant pythons, the king cobra is the only snake that can truly be considered an apex predator. Its major diet includes various snakes and lizards, such as rat snakes, banded kraits, Indian cobras, and many more. The king cobra is not regarded as hostile. Although it normally stays away from people and hides when it feels threatened, it can defend incubating eggs ferociously and move quickly to strike intruders.
It makes a loud hissing sound, lifts its front half, and displays its teeth when it gets frightened. Individuals might confuse the safe zone when the king cobra raises its body, as it is still capable of striking at a great distance. In single attack, it is capable of delivering several bites. When a king cobra bites a person or domesticated animal, the poisoning that follows can be fatal in as little as 30 minutes if treatment is prolonged.
2. Coastal Taipan
The highly venomous coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus), sometimes known as the common taipan, is an Australian endemic member of the Elapidae family of snakes. The coastal taipan can be found in a variety of environments, including open woodland, monsoon forests, and areas that have been transformed by humans, such sugarcane fields. The longest coastal taipans measured up to 2.9 meters (9.5 feet) in length, with an average length of about 2.0 meters (6.6 feet).
It can range in size from medium to huge, with a robust build and a deep, rectangular-shaped head that stands out from the slender neck. The body color can range from yellowish to reddish brown, dark brown, or virtually black. Individuals of the species change color seasonally, getting darker in winter and fading in summer.
- Size: 2 – 2.9 meters (6.6 – 9.5 feet)
- Fangs size: 13 mm
- Speed: 15 k/h
- Venom: 120 – 400 mg (average per bite)
Although it can become nocturnal in warmer temperatures, the coastal taipan is usually diurnal, being most active in the early to midmorning hours. Rats, mice, and bandicoots make up the bulk of the coastal taipan’s diet; opportunistic kills of different kinds of birds are also common. The poisoning caused by coastal taipan bites typically results in neurotoxic consequences, which include limb weakness, bulbar weakness, intercostal weakness, ptosis, diplopia, and ophthalmoplegia. Intubation is necessary for severe instances.
1. Inland Taipan
The inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus), a highly poisonous species of snake in the Elapidae family, is also referred to as the western taipan, small-scaled snake, or fierce snake. The species is unique to central east Australia’s semiarid areas. The inland taipan lives in the semiarid black dirt plains where the borders of South Australia and Queensland meet. While larger specimens can reach total lengths of 2.5 m (8.2 ft.), average inland taipan is just 1.8 m (5.9 ft.) long.
As the seasons change, inland taipans adjust to their surroundings by altering the color of their skin. The inland taipan has a dark tan color that varies in season from a rich, dark shade to a light greenish-brown. Its back, flanks, and tail can have varying tones of grey and brown, and the edges of many of its scales are broad and blackish.
- Size: 1.8 – 2.5 meters (5.9 – 8.2 feet)
- Fangs size: 3.5 – 6.2 mm
- Speed: not available
- Venom: 44 – 110 mg (average per bite)
In its natural habitat, the inland taipan exclusively feeds on mammals, primarily rodents including domestic mice, long-haired rats, plains rats, and other dasyurids. In a single attack, it may deliver up to eight deadly bites. It frequently snaps its jaws violently numerous times to puncture multiple targets at once. Because of their isolation and short daytime surface presence, inland taipans are hardly seen in the wild by the general public. In a medical context, poisoning might signal a multi-organ poisoning scenario where the predominant symptoms are neurotoxic. Additionally complicating the situation could be rhabdomyolysis, acute renal damage, and widespread coagulopathy.
Conclusion
Most of these data are based on researches done by some individuals and it does not imply the accuracy of speed on every individual animals of the species. There are other different factors that can impact of the length and weight such as diet, water, or safety. Some individual can swim faster than others. Who knows researchers out there may find out some new exciting information in near future.
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Video Reference
Other References
- https://www.billabongsanctuary.com.au/inland-taipan/
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/black-mamba
- https://www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com/snake/boomslang/
- https://australian.museum/learn/animals/reptiles/coastal-taipan/
- https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/king-cobra
- https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/30448-Bungarus-fasciatus
