All That Slithers: The Deadliest Snakes On Earth

Slimy, slithery, and seriously dangerous. Granted we could be talking about a number of things here, but in this case, we’re discussing one of the world’s most deadly species around – snakes. Think about it, there are 3,000 snake species around the globe. Of those 3,000, only some 400 are especially venomous and an even smaller portion of those 400 are incredibly deadly to humans. Assuming you’re not Steve Irwin, how do you know which snakes fall into the deadly category? Lucky for you, we’ve compiled such a list, but don’t be surprised if you’re overcome with the heebeeejeebees.

King Cobra

Throughout Asia and the jungles of India, you’ll find the King Cobra – the longest, most venomous snake in the world. GULP. Growing upwards of 18.8 feet, it isn’t actually a “true cobra”. Say what? It’s true, instead it falls into its sub genus class. Cause that somehow makes it less terrifying? Okay, okay maybe this will help. King Cobras aren’t usually deadly to humans, as they tend to hunt lizards, rodents, and other snakes. However this critter has enough neurotoxin in its venom to actually paralyze and kill an elephant, in just a few hours. Oh, and if it bites a human, the survival rate is about 40 percent.

King Cobra

King Cobra

Saw Scaled Viper

Let’s just start off and say that health insurance coverage isn’t going to help if you get bit by a saw-scaled viper. Sounds like absolute torture, right?

Furthermore the bite will swell and you’ll begin to bleed from your mouth, as your blood pressure plummets, and your heart rate slows. Well it is and to make matters worse, without treatment, you could pass away within just a day or you could suffer from absolute agony for upwards of two weeks. How this isn’t in our health insurance coverage is surprising.

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Saw Scaled Viper

Saw Scaled Viper

Typically located in India, China, and Asia; these vipers are nocturnal and lightning quick. Moreover, if you do get bit by one, you’ll feel it immediately.

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Black Mamba

How could it possibly get worse?

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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. 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.

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Black Mamba

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.

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Boomslang

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.

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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. However the biggest mistake you can make is underestimating the boomslang’s life-threatening bite. Get help and the antivenom as soon as possible.

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Boomslang

Boomslang

Now the Boomslang is responsible for many deaths all around the globe, but primarily in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Black Tiger Snakes

Black Tiger Snakes appear ominous and possess a lethal dosage of venom. Yay?

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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.

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Black Tiger Snakes

Black Tiger Snakes

No, especially considering one can die from a bite within just half of an hour, although fatalities commonly occur between six to 24 hours.

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Inland Taipan

As if that’s reason to celebrate, maybe if it was available on health insurance coverage, maybe.

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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.

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Inland Taipan

Inland Taipan

In terms of deadliest venom that snakes can even possess, the Inland Taipan comes out on top every time.

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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.

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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.

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Eastern Brown Snake

Eastern Brown Snake

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Common Lacehead

As a species of pit-viper, it’s easily agitated and is generally nocturnal.

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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.

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Common Lacehead

Common Lacehead

Common lacehead, or bothrops atrox, is usually found in the tropical lowlands of northern South America.

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Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Some reach 8 feet in length and weigh up to 10 pounds. Yeah, that tail isn’t just for show.

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” 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.

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Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

National Geographic refers to this snake as, “The largest venomous snake in North America.

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Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Up next is the western diamondback rattlesnake, which is typically found in the southwestern areas of the United States. Uhh, hashtag no thanks?

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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.

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Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

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Philippine Cobra

Yeah, our jaws are also on the floor here. Anyone?

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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?

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Philippine Cobra

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!

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Puff Adder

Puff Adder, or Bitis arietans, although call it what you want, this snake is terrifying.

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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.

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Puff Adder

Puff Adder

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Indian Cobra

Yeah, we’re talking about “snake charmers” here, folks.

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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.

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Indian Cobra

Indian Cobra

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Russell’s Viper

Some studies even claim that this snake is THE loudest, in terms of its hiss.

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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.

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Russels Viper

Russel’s Viper

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Common Krait

Common Krait, AKA one of the deadliest snakes alive. Great…oh wait.

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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. Furthermore untreated bites lead to nerve damage, muscle paralysis, and brain damage.

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Common Krait

Common Krait

Growing upwards of three to five feet and with a rather flat head, they have almost no neck.

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Terciopelo Viper

Ew? Freaky? Weird? All of the above? Yeah, we’d say so!

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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?

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Terciopelo Viper

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.

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Many-banded Krait

You’d think by now health insurance coverage would include snakebites but it seems unlikely.

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Many-banded Krait, or Taiwanese krait or the Chinese krait, is located in central and sourthern China and also Southeast Asia. Especially when bites are left untreated, the mortality rate is between 25-35% to 70–100%.

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Many Banded Krait

Many Banded Krait

However not even all those names excuse the fact that this snake is incredibly dangerous. Oh, that doesn’t help much, yikes.

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Malayan Snake

Southeast Asia and Indonesia is where you’ll find the Malayan Snake, or Blue Krait. Why? Oh.

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And trust us, you don’t want to find this snake under any circumstance. It contains a venom 16 times more toxic than the Cobra. **Screaming in horror** (Am I the only one screaming?

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Malayan Snake

Malayan Snake

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Common Death Adder

 

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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.

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Common Death Adder, Acanthophis Antarcticus, Bruce Thomson.

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.

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Green Mambas

First of all, there are actually three kinds of green mambas in the world, because one just isn’t enough.

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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.

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Green Mambas

Green Mambas

Green mambas – Western, Eastern, and Jameson – are all incredibly venomous, highly aggressive, and unpredictable in disposition.

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Forest Cobra

~Sorry, rant over. Yeah, this is so not okay.

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~ Native to Africa, it’s actually the largest true cobra species with a length (including the tail) of up to 10 feet. How useless does health insurance coverage sound when it comes to snake bites? Think we should all do something about that.

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Forest Cobra

Forest Cobra

Forest Cobra, AKA black cobra AKA the black AKA white-lipped cobra – how many more names can a deadly snake possibly have?!

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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.

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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?

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Jararaca

Jararaca

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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.

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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….

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South American Bushmaster

South American Bushmaster

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Cape Cobra

As far as Africa is concerned, the Cape Cobra is one of the deadliest in existence. Uhh, no thanks.

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Due to two facts, one it has a lethal venom and it tends to live around/in houses. More often than not, death can occur within an hour to ten hours after a bite.

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Cape Cobra

Cape Cobra

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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.

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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%.

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Sharp Nosed Pit Viper

Sharp Nosed Pit Viper

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Black-Necked Spitting Cobra

With a name like Black-Necked Spitting Cobra, yeah, you’re gonna make the list.

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Mainly found in Sub-Saharan Africa, this critter has a potent venom, one that causes severe harm to the skin.

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Black Necked Spitting Cobra

Black Necked Spitting Cobra

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Gaboon Viper

Just like the rest of the Viper family, it is highly venomous. I’m so not a fan.

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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.

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Gaboon Viper

Gaboon Viper

Gaboon vipers tend to dwell in the rainforests and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa.

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Dugite

Dugite, or Pseudonaja affinis, is a highly venomous Australian brown snake species. All of which are unpleasant, folks.

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One that isn’t on the health insurance coverage either. Their venom contains presynaptic and postsynaptic neurotoxins, plus procoagulants.

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Dugite

Dugite

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King Brown Snake or Mulga Snake

When they bite, they tend to release large amounts of venom, so no thanks.

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Australian King brown snake, or Mulga snake, is actually THE second longest species of venomous snake in Australia!

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King Brown Snake Or Mulga Snake

King Brown Snake Or Mulga Snake

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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.

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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.

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Belchers Sea Snake

Belchers Sea Snake

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Anaconda

Anaconda’s really are unrealistically large snakes that can even swallow a human whole.

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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.

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Anaconda

Anaconda

Despite their lack of venom, Anaconda’s are still very dangerous due to its mere size. GULP.

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Desert Horned Viper

Desert Horned Viper move sideways, which is totally creepy!

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Usually found in Middle East and northern parts of Africa. Oh and they’re also incredibly toxic…so you know, stay far, far away.

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Desert Horned Viper

Desert Horned Viper

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Red-Bellied Black Snake

Red-bellied black snakes are a venomous species that are native to Australia.

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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.

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Red Bellied Black Snake

Red Bellied Black Snake

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Tiger Keelback

East and Southeast Asia is where you’ll find the Tiger Keelback.

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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!

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Tiger Keelback

Tiger Keelback

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Burrowing Asp

BBurrowing Asp is a truly terrifying name! Time to phone up that health insurance coverage, like now.

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Especially when you learn that it likes to hide underground, typically near children’s playgrounds, it’s even more terrifying. Not just because of where it hides, but because it injects their poison deeper than any other snake alive.

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Burrowing Asp

Burrowing Asp

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Coastal Taipan

Oh great, the Coastal Taipan species is up next. Oh, no thank you, that’s terrifying.

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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.

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Web

Coastal Taipan

See that’s sarcasm, cause this snake is one large, highly venomous snake which belongs to the Elapidae family.

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Western Brown Snake

All of which is usually on the health insurance coverage.

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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.

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Western Brown Snake

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.

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Rhinoceros Viper

Rhinoceros viper, or Bitis nasicornis, is a large species of viper.

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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.

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Rhinoceros Viper

Rhinoceros Viper

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Caspian Cobra

Aggressive? Bad-tempered? Most venomous species of the cobra? Triple check.

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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.

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Caspian Cobra

Caspian Cobra

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Alcatrazes Lancehead

Whether this is a good thing or not is for you to decide.

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Native to the coastal islands surrounding Brazil, the Alcatrazes Lanceheads is considered to be critically endangered, meaning that it is almost extinct.

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Alcatrazes Lancehead1

Alcatrazes Lancehead

No, this has nothing to do with the prison, but this snake can surely be the end of any man’s life.

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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.

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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!

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Beaked Sea Snake1

Beaked Sea Snake

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Black Desert Cobra

Not large at all, a meter at most, it successfully hides itself under the sand to protect itself and to attack unsuspecting prey.

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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.

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Black Desert Cobra

Black Desert Cobra

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Black Banded Sea Krait

Like most of us, the Black Banded Sea Krait enjoys warm waters.

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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!

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Black Banded Sea Krait1

Black Banded Sea Krait

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Cascabel

When you hear this South American serpent shaking his maracas (shakers, if you will), my advice is, RUN!

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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!

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Cascabel1

Cascabel

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Darevsky’s Viper

The zig-zag shape on this creepy creature is not the only dizzying aspect of this snake. It’s no wonder their eyesight isn’t too good.

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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!

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Darevskys Vipers1

Darevsky’s Vipers

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Dubois’ Sea Snake

Growing up, my mother always told us not to delve too deep into the ocean.

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Dubois’ Sea Snake just happens to really like shallow waters. They love to come out during dusk and dawn, so plan your swims accordingly should you find yourself in Papa New Guinea.

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Dubois Sea Snake1

Dubois’ Sea Snake

All the scary monster-like creatures swim all the way out there… or do they? Uh oh!

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Horned Viper

 

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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.

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Horned Viper1

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.

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Indochinese Spitting Cobra

A snake. A spitting snake. A venom-spitting snake. It doesn’t get much more frightening than that, really.

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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.

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Indochinese Spitting Cobra1

Indochinese Spitting Cobra

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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.

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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.

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Malayan Pit Viper1

Malayan Pit Viper

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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.

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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.

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Mojave Rattlesnake1

Mojave Rattlesnake