All That Slithers: The Deadliest Snakes On Earth

Black Mamba

Countless deaths are attributed to the Black Mamba all over Africa – on top of that, it’s known for its awesome striking ability and density of its toxicity. Moreover we should mention that they can strike up to 12 times in succession and furthermore, every single bite delivers copious amounts of deathly neurotoxins. How could it possibly get worse? Well, they can also pump enough venom into its victim in just a single bite to kill you 25 times over. If at all left untreated, a Black Mamba bite is nearly 100 percent deadly — death can happen in as little as 15 minutes.

Black Mamba

Boomslang

Now the Boomslang is responsible for many deaths all around the globe, but primarily in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Not only are they quick, but boomslangs can also climb trees and are filled with venomous toxins – and when they bite, they can creepily open their jaws up to 170 degrees. It’s important to note that you won’t feel the effects of a bite right away, a few hours may pass when the symptoms arise. However the biggest mistake you can make is underestimating the boomslang’s life-threatening bite. Get help and the antivenom as soon as possible.

Boomslang

Black Tiger Snakes

Black Tiger Snakes appear ominous and possess a lethal dosage of venom. Yay? No, especially considering one can die from a bite within just half of an hour, although fatalities commonly occur between six to 24 hours. Why the antivenom isn’t on any health insurance coverage is astonishing – symptoms of a bite include numbness, sweating, and tingling. While most Tiger Snakes are scared of humans, if provoked, they will turn aggressive and strike.

Black Tiger Snakes

Inland Taipan

In terms of deadliest venom that snakes can even possess, the Inland Taipan comes out on top every time. As if that’s reason to celebrate, maybe if it was available on health insurance coverage, maybe. With a mixture of taipoxin and neurotoxin, a bite can lead to blood hemorrhaging, limited breathing, paralysis, and intense muscle damage. Located mainly in inland Australia, the Inland Taipan is often shy, reclusive, and will almost always flee instead of attacking. However if it should choose to attack, death can occur within just 30 to 45 minutes, unless you’re treated almost immediately.

Inland Taipan

Eastern Brown Snake

Especially lethal venom is merely an understatement – just a fraction of a bite from an Eastern Brown Snake can kill any adult human. After all, it is the second-most-venomous land snake in the world. Native to Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia – brown snakes are highly aggressive and account for around 60% of snake bite deaths in Australia.

Eastern Brown Snake

Common Lacehead

Common lacehead, or bothrops atrox, is usually found in the tropical lowlands of northern South America. As a species of pit-viper, it’s easily agitated and is generally nocturnal. However it can hunt throughout the day as well as climb trees and swim. Needless to say, their venom is terribly lethal and fast acting. Even with treatment, almost all bites lead to temporary or sometimes permanent memory loss. Really makes me want to re-think my health insurance coverage options.

Common Lacehead

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

National Geographic refers to this snake as, “The largest venomous snake in North America. Some reach 8 feet in length and weigh up to 10 pounds.” Unless threatened, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake will not attack humans –
additionally, bites are caused when someone taunts or attempts to capture the snake. Oh but they do give off one final warning before they strike – it violently shakes its tail. Yeah, that tail isn’t just for show.

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Up next is the western diamondback rattlesnake, which is typically found in the southwestern areas of the United States. Reportedly, it is responsible for the majority of snakebite fatalities in northern Mexico and also the largest number of snakebites all over the United States. Uhh, hashtag no thanks?

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Philippine Cobra

Oh goody, we’ve reached the most venomous and deadliest Cobra species out there, which can spit its venom up to 10 feet in distance! Yeah, our jaws are also on the floor here. In regards to the venom produced by the Philippine Cobra, it’ll immediately alter your nerves, which then affect cardiac and respiratory systems within mere minutes. Could someone explain how this isn’t a cause in health insurance coverage? Anyone?

Philippine Cobra

Puff Adder

Puff Adder, or Bitis arietans, although call it what you want, this snake is terrifying. Not only is it terrifying, but it’s also responsible for a majority of fatalities over any other African snake. Found in the African savannah and grasslands, the Puff Adder has a wide distribution and contains a potent venom which is produced in massive quantities due to its long fangs.

Puff Adder

Indian Cobra

Yeah, we’re talking about “snake charmers” here, folks. Although I don’t know what’s charming about one of India’s most active biting snakes. A bite leads to paralysis, respiratory failure, or even a heart attack – all this can occur within 15 minutes up to two hours following a bite.

Indian Cobra

Russell’s Viper

Primarily located in Southeast Asia, Russell’s Viper is thought to be one of the deadliest snakes out there, due to its highly aggressive nature and location in highly populated areas. Some studies even claim that this snake is THE loudest, in terms of its hiss.

Russel’s Viper

Common Krait

Common Krait, AKA one of the deadliest snakes alive. Growing upwards of three to five feet and with a rather flat head, they have almost no neck. If you should stumble upon one in the day time, it’ll hide and react slow if found. However when you run into one at night, it’ll bite as soon as it becomes annoyed. Great…oh wait. Furthermore untreated bites lead to nerve damage, muscle paralysis, and brain damage.

Common Krait

Terciopelo Viper

Typically found in the neotropical rainforest in Central America – the Terciopelo Viper grows up to 8 feet long and has a head 4 inches wide. Ew? Freaky? Weird? All of the above? Yeah, we’d say so! Moreover, these slimy critters are responsible a majority of snakebites in all of Central America. Lest we forget, their venom contains hemotoxins which left treated leads to death. So, how about an upgrade to that health insurance coverage of yours?

Terciopelo Viper

Many-banded Krait

You’d think by now health insurance coverage would include snakebites but it seems unlikely. Many-banded Krait, or Taiwanese krait or the Chinese krait, is located in central and sourthern China and also Southeast Asia. However not even all those names excuse the fact that this snake is incredibly dangerous. Especially when bites are left untreated, the mortality rate is between 25-35% to 70–100%. Oh, that doesn’t help much, yikes.

Many Banded Krait

Malayan Snake

Southeast Asia and Indonesia is where you’ll find the Malayan Snake, or Blue Krait. And trust us, you don’t want to find this snake under any circumstance. Why? It contains a venom 16 times more toxic than the Cobra. **Screaming in horror** (Am I the only one screaming? Oh.)

Malayan Snake

Common Death Adder

Australia, New Guinea, and a few nearly islands is where you’ll find the Common Death Adder – one of the most venomous out of any snake in the world. Bites left untreated can cause death within 24 to 48 hours, luckily an antivenom exists. Moreover we need to mention that it’s actually the fastest striking snake in the world.

Common Death Adder

Green Mambas

First of all, there are actually three kinds of green mambas in the world, because one just isn’t enough. Green mambas – Western, Eastern, and Jameson – are all incredibly venomous, highly aggressive, and unpredictable in disposition. How great is that? All three species are also highly arboreal, lightning quick, and agile. Furthermore their venom is rapid-acting and the dendrotoxins are much more devastating to the central nervous system, which causes severe neurotoxicity.

Green Mambas

Forest Cobra

Forest Cobra, AKA black cobra AKA the black AKA white-lipped cobra – how many more names can a deadly snake possibly have?! ~Sorry, rant over.~ Native to Africa, it’s actually the largest true cobra species with a length (including the tail) of up to 10 feet. Yeah, this is so not okay. How useless does health insurance coverage sound when it comes to snake bites? Think we should all do something about that.

Forest Cobra

Jararaca

Jararaca is low-and-behold the best-known venomous snake in all of the wealthy and heavily populated areas of southeastern Brazil. How lovely. In fact, between 1902 and 1945, this critter was responsible for about 52% (3,446 cases) of snakebites, with a total 0.7% mortality rate (25 deaths). Need we mention their deadly venom?

Jararaca

South American Bushmaster

Let me introduce the South American bushmaster – the longest, venomous snake in the Western Hemisphere, or rather the longest pit viper on Earth. Native to South America, particularly the equatorial forests east of the Andes. Additionally, they’re large, fast, and aggressive – everything you could want in a snake….

South American Bushmaster

Cape Cobra

As far as Africa is concerned, the Cape Cobra is one of the deadliest in existence. Due to two facts, one it has a lethal venom and it tends to live around/in houses. Uhh, no thanks. More often than not, death can occur within an hour to ten hours after a bite.

Cape Cobra

Sharp-nosed Pit Viper

According to the U.S. Armed Forces Pest Management Board, the venom a Sharp-nosed Pit Viper has is a potent hemotoxin which is strongly hemorrhagic. And let’s just say the symptoms of a bite is incredibly uncomfortable and deadly. Although the envenomation rate is around 80% while the untreated mortality rate is near 1-10%.

Sharp Nosed Pit Viper

Black-Necked Spitting Cobra

With a name like Black-Necked Spitting Cobra, yeah, you’re gonna make the list. Mainly found in Sub-Saharan Africa, this critter has a potent venom, one that causes severe harm to the skin.

Black Necked Spitting Cobra

Gaboon Viper

Gaboon vipers tend to dwell in the rainforests and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. Just like the rest of the Viper family, it is highly venomous. Moreover, it’s the largest member of the genus group AND is the world’s heaviest viperid – with the longest fangs too (2 inches long). Wait, there’s more, it also has the highest venom yield of any snake. I’m so not a fan.

Gaboon Viper

Dugite

Dugite, or Pseudonaja affinis, is a highly venomous Australian brown snake species. One that isn’t on the health insurance coverage either. Their venom contains presynaptic and postsynaptic neurotoxins, plus procoagulants. All of which are unpleasant, folks.

Dugite

King Brown Snake or Mulga Snake

Australian King brown snake, or Mulga snake, is actually THE second longest species of venomous snake in Australia! When they bite, they tend to release large amounts of venom, so no thanks.

King Brown Snake Or Mulga Snake

Belcher’s Sea Snake

While it has a thin body and short length, Belcher’s Sea Snake are actually one of the deadliest creatures on the planet. Belcher’s Sea Snake have a crazy potent venom too, where just a milligram of the snake’s venom could actually kill thousands of adult human beings.

Belchers Sea Snake

Anaconda

Anaconda’s really are unrealistically large snakes that can even swallow a human whole. Despite their lack of venom, Anaconda’s are still very dangerous due to its mere size. This snake actually likes to wrap victims around the midsection and then continues to compress them until totally crushed or completely suffocated. From that point on, it begins to swallow you whole. GULP.

Anaconda

Desert Horned Viper

Desert Horned Viper move sideways, which is totally creepy! Usually found in Middle East and northern parts of Africa. Oh and they’re also incredibly toxic…so you know, stay far, far away.

Desert Horned Viper

Red-Bellied Black Snake

Red-bellied black snakes are a venomous species that are native to Australia. About that venom too, it consists of myotoxins, coagulants and furthermore, it has haemolytic and cytotoxic properties. Bites are rarely life-threatening but you still need medical attention, one that’s not in your health insurance coverage unfortunately.

Red Bellied Black Snake

Tiger Keelback

East and Southeast Asia is where you’ll find the Tiger Keelback. Oh, and it’s not on your health insurance coverage if you should get bit. Usually grows to a length of 24-39 inches too!

Tiger Keelback

Burrowing Asp

BBurrowing Asp is a truly terrifying name! Especially when you learn that it likes to hide underground, typically near children’s playgrounds, it’s even more terrifying. Time to phone up that health insurance coverage, like now. Not just because of where it hides, but because it injects their poison deeper than any other snake alive.

Burrowing Asp

Coastal Taipan

Oh great, the Coastal Taipan species is up next. See that’s sarcasm, cause this snake is one large, highly venomous snake which belongs to the Elapidae family. Native to the coastal regions of northern and eastern Australia and also the island of New Guinea. However according to toxicological studies, this species of snake ranks as sixth-most venomous land snake in the world. Oh, no thank you, that’s terrifying.

Coastal Taipan

Western Brown Snake

Mee the Western brown snake, or Pseudonaja nuchalis, which is a highly venomous species of brown snake commonly found in Western Australia. Plus it has a powerful venom filled with neurotoxins, nephrotoxins and a procoagulant. Bites produce symptoms like headache, nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, severe coagulopathy, and even kidney damage. All of which is usually on the health insurance coverage.

Western Brown Snake

Rhinoceros Viper

Rhinoceros viper, or Bitis nasicornis, is a large species of viper. While they’re slow moving, they are able to strike quickly. Oh, and their hiss sounds like a shriek – that’s reason enough for me to never be a snake lover.

Rhinoceros Viper

Caspian Cobra

Putting health insurance coverage out of your mind, the Caspian cobra, AKA the Central Asian cobra, Oxus cobra, or Russian cobra, is located in Central Asia. Aggressive? Bad-tempered? Most venomous species of the cobra? Triple check.

Caspian Cobra

Alcatrazes Lancehead

No, this has nothing to do with the prison, but this snake can surely be the end of any man’s life. Native to the coastal islands surrounding Brazil, the Alcatrazes Lanceheads is considered to be critically endangered, meaning that it is almost extinct. Whether this is a good thing or not is for you to decide.

Alcatrazes Lancehead

Beaked Sea Snake

The beaked sea snake, or common sea snake, or hook-nosed sea snake, or Valakadyn sea snake has many names (apparently), but you can just call him Val. Not only does this slitherer seek it’s prey in the water, he also accounts for the vast majority of deadly snake bites that happen in water. Watch out!

Beaked Sea Snake

Black Desert Cobra

Black Desert Cobra, as his friends call him, and Desert Black Snake if he wants to collaborate with Sting for a one-hit wonder, this snake has been terrorizing the population of The Sinai for thousands of years. Not large at all, a meter at most, it successfully hides itself under the sand to protect itself and to attack unsuspecting prey.

Black Desert Cobra

Black Banded Sea Krait

Like most of us, the Black Banded Sea Krait enjoys warm waters. Swimming in the western Pacific Ocean might grant you a chance encounter with this snake. Despite this fella being one of the most venomous sea snakes, it usually doesn’t bite humans, whew!

Black Banded Sea Krait

Cascabel

When you hear this South American serpent shaking his maracas (shakers, if you will), my advice is, RUN! A part of the greater rattlesnake family, this one chose to live in the Argentina region. The Cascabel usually lives between 10 to 25 years but it can cause a bite that can take that many years off a person!

Cascabel

Darevsky’s Viper

The zig-zag shape on this creepy creature is not the only dizzying aspect of this snake. Its foldable fangs pack a punch (or maybe a bite) that sends the venom into their prey. Their venom is stored in glands behind their eyes! It’s no wonder their eyesight isn’t too good.

Darevsky’s Vipers

Dubois’ Sea Snake

Growing up, my mother always told us not to delve too deep into the ocean. All the scary monster-like creatures swim all the way out there… or do they? Dubois’ Sea Snake just happens to really like shallow waters. Uh oh! They love to come out during dusk and dawn, so plan your swims accordingly should you find yourself in Papa New Guinea.

Dubois’ Sea Snake

Horned Viper

If you want to know how he got his name, just take a look at his face and you’ll notice two sharp rising horns coming from its eyes. Now now, before you start wishing this bad-boy didn’t exist, you need to understand that he is important ecologically. This raised-eyebrow viper takes care of a significant number of rodent problems, meaning less mice and rats.

Horned Viper

Indochinese Spitting Cobra

A snake. A spitting snake. A venom-spitting snake. It doesn’t get much more frightening than that, really. Although it is one of the thinner cobras out there, it is not one of the tamer ones. When spitting venom isn’t enough, this cobra will bite its opponent and chew vigorously until the death, literally.

Indochinese Spitting Cobra

Malayan Pit Viper

The Malayan Pit Viper is one of the boldest snakes in the world. It inhabits the regions of southeast Asia and is known to be very aggressive. It claims more than 700 human attacks a year, from which many victims die. What’s really strange is that even after it has attacked, the Malayan Pit Viper usually doesn’t leave the area for hours.

Malayan Pit Viper

Mojave Rattlesnake

Mexico hosts of one the most venomous snakes in the world. The World Wildlife Foundation reported that it is not endangered by any means. The Mojave Rattlesnake is very aggressive toward humans in particular, and when it bites, it can kill someone in less than an hour, if they don’t get medical treatment.

Mojave Rattlesnake

Mozambique Spitting Cobra

What is it with these irritable reptilians? The Mozambique Spitting Cobra is known to be short-tempered and high-strung. When it finds itself in a confined space, it prefers to bite, but should it be out in the open, it can successfully hit its target from 2-3 meters away!

Mozambique Spitting Cobra

Naja Katiensis

“We’ll have a lovely time on the safari”, they said. “We’ll see many beautiful animals”, they said. But what they didn’t mention is that there is a poisonous snake lurking in the high grass and under the bushes. Having fancy health insurance coverage back home, probably doesn’t help a surprise bite in the African safari by a Naja Katiensis.

Naja Katiensis

Peron’s Sea Snake

Here’s one to put you at ease, even if it means just until you finish reading this page. Although it is one of the deadliest sea snakes due to its high venom count, there is not a single recorded event of one of these attacking a human. Instead, they prefer to eat fish as they swim around the sea floor with their paddle-shaped tail.

Peron’s Sea Snake

Rinkhals

Want to play possum? Despite being a super dangerous snake, the Rinkhals likes to play dead to avoid being attacked. Quite often it will roll over onto its back and leave its mouth hanging open. But don’t take your chances with this one, it specifically aims for the face of an attacker by spitting venom directly at it.

Rinkhals

Samar Cobra

It’s not only the French who have a love for frogs, the Samar Cobra does too. Because their prey usually lives in rice paddies in southeast Asia, lots of interactions between these snakes and humans occur, with many of these instances not ending with a smile. In fact, their poison can permanently paralyze a person and all their nervous functions.

Samar Cobra

Red Spitting Cobra

Not only does it threaten humans, small birds and other reptiles, the Red Spitting Cobra incredibly enjoys the delicacy of other snakes. If that isn’t weird enough already, then let me add that while the more senior snakes like to come out at night, the youth prefer coming out during the day. This mismatched activity causes these snakes to sometimes eat each-other.

Red Spitting Cobra

Tiger Rattlesnake

The Tiger Rattlesnake is like a camouflaged commando geared up for it all. “By land, air and sea” should be its motto, minus the air part, of course. It finds its way into bushes at all altitudes and swims easily through water to avoid detection by eagles and hawks. It is reluctant to strike, but if a threat seems to be in motion, it will not hold back and neither will the effects of its bite.

Tiger Rattlesnake

Water Cobras

Put ‘water’ and ‘cobra’ in the same sentence and either you’ve got a pretty awesome Pokemon, or you’ve got a pretty chilling swimming partner – you choose. You can exhale a sigh of relief though, since the Water Cobra doesn’t like confrontation and usually secludes itself. Unlike many snakes, this one chooses the day as its time for travelling.

Water Cobras

Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake

A human can go, what, 3 days without water? Well, a Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake can survive up to 7 months during drought seasons without a sip. That’s not the fact that scares us, though. If bitten by this sea swimmer, a person can die within hours if they don’t get help. The good news is that scientists have created antivenom specifically for these bites.

Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake

Elephant Trunk Snake

Let’s be honest, this isn’t the most beautiful snake we’ve ever seen. It kind of looks like a soggy cucumber that lost its color. We can be relieved however, that this snake poses a very little threat to humans. If you’re a fish, then you might see it differently. Being able to keep itself under water for 40 minutes with one breath, it traps fish by ambushing them on the ocean floor.

Elephant Trunk Snake

Ultimate Pit Viper

Classified as dangerous and unpredictable, the Ultimate Pit Viper as it was named by those studying it, is a water-loving, slow-moving killer. Don’t get me wrong, it is only slow when it is relaxed, otherwise it can strike an enemy in milliseconds! These vipers have attacked many filed biologists who were attempting to uncover more about these mysterious creatures.

Ultimate Pit Viper

Ball Python

The Ball Python gets its name because of the shape it transforms into when it feels threatened. Now, it is not actually venomous or dangerous to adults or children. However, this relatively calm snake can seriously harm an infant. An adult who experiences a bite, can find himself writhing in pain and a left with a scar that will always retell the story.

Ball Python

Burmese Python

With a lifespan of more than twenty years, the Burmese Python can grow up to more than 2 meters! What is more alarming is that while it grows in length, it grows in diameter too. Even though these snakes are generally calm and are sold as pets around the world, there have been cases of human adults being constricted and suffocated alive.

Burmese Python

Having a big mouth usually gets you into trouble, but sometimes being on the receiving end of one is even worse. A 10-year-old South African boy was swallowed alive by an African Rock Python which took almost 3 hours. The other seven children who were with him, hid in a mango tree until help arrived. You can loosen up a little, don’t worry, a person is more likely to be eaten by a shark than by an African Rock Python. Feeling calmer?

African Rock Python

Reticulated Python

Here we have the longest snake and the longest reptile on earth. Like many constrictors, reticulated pythons are not usually a threat to humans, but there have been cases of humans being attacked. Research found that there was no connection between attacks by snakes in the wild and snakes in captivity. A 14-year-old boy was attacked and swallowed in Indonesia.

Reticulated Python