TOP 10 MOST VENOMOUS SNAKES OF THE WORLD�

MOHAMMAD RIZWAN

(H.M.)

K.V. IIM LUCKNOW

10 RATTLESNAKE�THE ONLY SNAKE FROM THE AMERICAS ON THE LIST, THE RATTLESNAKE IS EASILY IDENTIFIABLE BY THE TELL TALE RATTLE ON THE END OF ITS TAIL. DIFFICULTY BREATHING, PARALYSIS, DROOLING AND MASSIVE HEMORRHAGING ARE COMMON SYMPTOMS OF THIS SNAKE BITE�

9 DEATH ADDER�THE APPROPRIATELY NAMED DEATH ADDER IS FOUND IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW GUINEA. A BITE CAUSES PARALYSIS AND CAN CAUSE DEATH WITHIN 6 HOURS, DUE TO RESPIRATORY FAILURE. DEATH ADDERS LOOK QUITE SIMILAR TO VIPERS, IN THAT THEY HAVE TRIANGULAR SHAPED HEADS AND SHORT, SQUAT BODIES.�

8 VIPERS�VIPERS ARE FOUND THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE WORLD, BUT ARGUABLY THE MOST VENOMOUS IS THE SAW SCALED VIPER AND THE CHAIN VIPER, FOUND PRIMARILY IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL ASIA, PARTICULARLY INDIA, CHINA AND SOUTH EAST ASIA. VIPERS ARE QUICK TEMPERED AND GENERALLY NOCTURNAL, OFTEN ACTIVE AFTER RAINS. THEY ARE ALSO VERY FAST.�

7 PHILIPPINE COBRA�DROP FOR DROP, ITS VENOM IS THE MOST DEADLY OF ALL THE COBRA SPECIES, AND THEY ARE CAPABLE OF SPITTING IT UP TO 3 METRES. THE VENOM IS A NEUROTOXIN WHICH AFFECTS CARDIAC AND RESPIRATORY FUNCTION, AND CAN CAUSE NEUROTOXICITY, RESPIRATORY PARALYSIS AND DEATH IN THIRTY MINUTES.�

6 TIGER SNAKE�FOUND IN AUSTRALIA, THE VENOMOUS TIGER SNAKE HAS A VERY POTENT NEUROTOXIC VENOM. DEATH FROM A BITE CAN OCCUR WITHIN 30 MINUTES, BUT USUALLY TAKES 6-24 HOURS. PRIOR TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIVENIN, THE FATALITY RATE FROM TIGER SNAKES WAS 60-70%. ��

5 BLACK MAMBA�THE FEARED BLACK MAMBA IS FOUND THROUGHOUT MANY PARTS OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. THEY ARE KNOWN TO BE HIGHLY AGGRESSIVE, AND STRIKE WITH DEADLY PRECISION. THEY ARE ALSO THE FASTEST LAND SNAKE IN THE WORLD, CAPABLE OF REACHING SPEEDS OF UP TO 20KM/H. THESE FEARSOME SNAKES CAN STRIKE UP TO 12 TIMES IN A ROW. �

4 TAIPAN�ANOTHER ENTRY FROM AUSTRALIA, THE VENOM IN A TAIPAN IS STRONG ENOUGH TO KILL UP TO 12,000 GUINEA PIGS. THE VENOM CLOTS THE VICTIM’S BLOOD, BLOCKING ARTERIES OR VEINS. IT IS ALSO HIGHLY NEUROTOXIC.�

3 BLUE KRAIT�THE MALAYAN OR BLUE KRAIT IS, BY FAR, THE MOST DEADLY OF THIS SPECIES. FOUND THROUGHOUT SOUTH EAST ASIA AND INDONESIA. DEATH USUALLY OCCURS WITHIN 6-12 HOURS OF A KRAIT BITE. EVEN IF PATIENTS MAKE IT TO A HOSPITAL, PERMANENT COMA AND EVEN BRAIN DEATH FROM HYPOXIA MAY OCCUR, GIVEN POTENTIALLY LONG TRANSPORT TIMES TO GET MEDICAL CARE.�

2 EASTERN BROWN SNAKE�1/14,000 OF AN OUNCE OF ITS VENOM IS ENOUGH TO KILL AN ADULT HUMAN. COMING IN A VARIETY OF SPECIES, THE EASTERN BROWN SNAKE IS THE MOST VENOMOUS. UNFORTUNATELY, ITS PREFERRED HABITAT IS ALSO ALONG THE MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS OF AUSTRALIA.�

1 FIERCE SNAKE OR INLAND TAIPAN�IT HAS THE MOST TOXIC VENOM OF ANY LAND SNAKE IN THE WORLD. THE MAXIMUM YIELD RECORDED FOR ONE BITE IS 110MG, ENOUGH TO KILL ABOUT 100 HUMANS, OR 250,000 MICE!�