Top most poisonous snake in the world

Are you a animal facts lover? You know a lot of facts about them. So, do you know about top most poisonous snake in the world? Here is for you

10. Death Adder

Death Adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) / Photo: John Wombey, CSIRO

On name alone the death adder qualifies for a place on our list. However, the name actually started out as “deaf adders” as in the old days it was believed they couldn’t hear. The reason for this misconception was that unlike other snakes, which tend to slither away when a human approaches, the death adder doesn’t. This is because they are ambush hunters which lay in wait for their prey and so are less inclined to move.

Regardless of where the name comes from though, these are a very dangerous snake indeed. Their venom is some of the most powerful on earth and contains neurotoxins capable of causing paralysis of the respiratory system and death. As well as being armed with such lethal venom the death adder is just about the fastest striking snake you’ll find anywhere.

The death adder is found throughout much of Australia where it is considered less dangerous than the brown snakes. They are also found in Papua New Guinea and western Indonesia where they do unfortunately live up to their name and cause a significant number of deaths every year.

9. Coastal Taipan

Coastal Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) / Photo: Denise Chan / License

It may seem strange that the most venomous snake on Earth (the inland taipan) did not make it onto the list whereas its less venomous cousin, the coastal taipan, did. Whilst the coastal taipan only (!) has the third most toxic venom of any land snake it is still phenomenally dangerous. Yes, admittedly it does only deliver sufficient venom to kill over 200,000 mice with a single bite – the inland taipan could theoretically kill over a million. But there are two important factors that I feel make the coastal taipan more dangerous; firstly it occurs in less remote regions than the rarely seen inland taipan and secondly the coastal taipan has a reputation as being somewhat aggressive.

When a coastal taipan feels the need to defend itself it goes into full attack mode. There is no messing around with ‘dry bites’, in over 80% of cases a large dose of venom is delivered, often in repeated strikes. Each of these rapid succession of bites is capable of injecting a similar amount of venom. With the longest fangs of any of Australia’s venomous snakes the taipan can inject its powerful neurotoxin deep into the victim’s tissues. Another of the taipan’s other reputed deadly traits is to actually chase people when on the attack, and it can move at a fair pace.

8. Common Lancehead

Common Lancehead (Bothrops atrox) / Photo: Greg Hume

The lanceheads are a family of pit-vipers (Bothrops) found throughout Central and South America. Together they are responsible for the vast majority of snakebite deaths in the region. Often living in populated areas these snakes are fast and described as excitable and unpredictable when encountered.

Worthy of particular mention amongst this group are the common lancehead (B. atrox), the terciopelo (B. asper) and the jararaca (B. jararaca). All are large snakes measuring around the 2 metre (6.5ft) mark and have powerful hemotoxic venom.

The bite from a lancehead will cause local swelling and pain often followed by blistering and bruising. Systemic symptoms usually involve hemorrhaging internally and from the gums, eyes etc. Whilst this may lead to fatal shock, death may also result from kidney failure.

7. Puff Adder

Puff Adder (Bitis arietans) Photo: Johannes van Rooyen

The puff adder makes up for a lack of length with an abundance of girth. These heavily built snakes are powerful and equipped with particularly long fangs which make them formidable hunters. Despite being so slow and lethargic as to be described as ‘lazy’, the puff adder actually has one of the fastest strikes of any snake. It has been known for a puff adder to kill its rodent prey just from the sheer force of its strike and its large fangs. That said, it carries enough venom to kill several humans.

The name puff adder comes from the snake’s warning behaviour in which it will inflate itself to look bigger and release an intimidating hiss. You are well advised to heed this warning as the puff adder is statistically Africa’s most dangerous snake causing more fatalities than any other reptile on the continent.

6. Blue Krait

This snake is not as well known as some, but its venom is 16 times more potent than that of the cobra! There also is no really good antivenin to use, which makes it quite deadly. The Blue Krait tends to keep to itself and usually only comes out at night, though, so it is generally easy to avoid.

5. Indian Krait

Common krait (Bungarus caeruleus)

This small snake is our second member of the “big four”. Also known as the common krait or blue krait they are responsible for causing an estimated 10,000 deaths a year in India alone.

The krait’s weapon is its powerful neurotoxic venom. It is one of the top five most venomous land snakes, only slightly less so than the coastal taipan. Whilst its small size means it can potentially deliver less venom a bite still contains sufficient toxins to kill several people. To make sure a good dose is delivered the krait typically hangs on to its victim for a while.

4. Inland Taipan

While it’s difficult to be as impressed by the Inland Taipan after learning about the concentration of venom in a Belcher’s Sea Snake bite, it’d be foolish to discount the Taipan just because its bite can only kill as many as 100 people! Taipans usually avoid human contact, however, and you are unlikely to ever encounter ones

3. Saw-Scaled Viper

Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) / Photo: Vassil

Another of India’s “Big Four” snakes the saw-scaled viper is responsible for countless thousands of deaths throughout southern Asia. Although it is small in size (usually less than 30ins / 80cm in length) this snake makes up for it in numbers. One of the commonest snakes throughout India and Sri Lanka the saw-scaled viper is the bane of agricultural workers.

Not only is this snake common, it is very dangerous. Powerful venom, an incredibly fast strike and a notoriously bad temper combine to make the saw-scaled viper responsible for somewhere in the region of 5,000 fatalities a year in India alone. If you extrapolate this number across the viper’s range, which stretches across the Indian subcontinent and into the Middle East and Africa, then this snake is one of the planet’s biggest killers.

2. Black Mamba

Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis)

Not only is the black mamba one of the most venomous snakes on the planet it is also big (up to 4 metres / 13ft), fast (11kph / 6.8mph) and highly aggressive. When attacking the mamba can strike with both speed and over a considerable distance; it is also known to deliver multiple bites on occasion. Given all these characteristics it is little surprise the black mamba is also arguably the deadliest snake in the world.

The only reason the black mamba doesn’t head up our list is that it is not widespread throughout the more densely populated areas of the developing world. In every single country this snake is indigenous it has the highest mortality rate of any snake. For example in South Africa the black mamba is responsible for less than 1% of all snakebites yet still kills the most people.

1. Belcher’s Sea Snake

Belcher’s Sea Snake (Cal Donovam/Flickr)

You may be somewhat familiar with these sea snakes. They are quite common, and you may have seen them in films or even in person. They are recognizable from their stripes. Usually these snakes have no interest in confrontation, but if one feels threatened, it may bite you. Three out of four times this will be no big deal, since only about one quarter of Belcher’s Sea Snakes carry venom. Those that do though have the highest concentration of venom in existence. Just a few milligrams has the capacity to kill thousands of human beings, making this the most poisonous snake in the world. Nonetheless, most Belcher’s Sea Snakes are quite harmless thanks to a docile personality and a lack of venom.

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