Buzz
1. Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes, also known as bell rattlesnakes or buzzing snakes, originate from the Americas, belonging to the subfamily Crotalinae. They are venomous snakes with extremely potent venom. There are over 70 species of rattlesnakes worldwide, among which some common ones are the Mojave rattlesnake, Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, and Western diamondback rattlesnake. The name 'rattlesnake' comes from the distinctive feature of their tails, which can produce a rattling sound.
The venom of rattlesnakes is classified among the most dangerous toxins in the world. Upon envenomation, their venom travels through the bloodstream, causing destruction of red blood cells and nerve cells, resulting in paralysis of prey within minutes. When bitten by a rattlesnake, the fatality rate can reach up to 90% within a short time. Even with timely medical intervention, the bitten area may suffer from paralysis and necrosis. Many people have lost limbs or even their lives due to this highly venomous creature.
2. Death Adder
The Death Adder is primarily distributed in Australia and New Guinea. As its English name suggests, the venom of the Australian Death Adder is indeed deadly, capable of causing fatalities. Its venom is highly neurotoxic, causing prey and adversaries to perish within 6 hours. This species often hunts and kills other snakes through ambush.
The Kimberley Death Adder, scientific name Acanthophis Cryptamydros, is less than a meter long but is a terror to humans. The high toxicity in its venom can lead to paralysis and death if not treated promptly. The Kimberley Death Adder has a pear-shaped head, measuring 60cm in length, with an orange-brown body found in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
With its coloration, this snake is a master of camouflage. It can resemble dry leaves, rocks, or blend seamlessly into the earthy terrain, striking suddenly and unexpectedly. Using its tail as a lure, when prey is enticed, it will swiftly launch a deadly attack, dispatching its prey efficiently. Although extremely rare in the wild, this snake is truly a grim reaper, capable of killing in the blink of an eye with its 'lie and wait' ambush tactic.
3. Gaboon Viper
The Gaboon Viper is the largest snake in the Bitis family. It is known as the second most venomous snake in the world next to the king cobra. Additionally, the Gaboon Viper is renowned for its dazzlingly beautiful patterns among Viper species.
The coloration of the Gaboon Viper is a mix of various light and dark colors such as bright yellow, white, purple, and dark brown. Its pattern is arranged like interlocking diamonds with small black stripes running along the back. They have a slightly swollen body, short tail, and a wide, flat head resembling a dried leaf. This characteristic helps them camouflage and blend into fallen leaf litter.
This snake mainly operates at night and moves very slowly. It hunts by ambush, waiting for prey to pass by before striking directly. Although highly venomous, this species does not typically actively attack unless provoked. Moreover, they can control the amount of venom injected when attacking. The Gaboon Viper is a venomous snake, and its bite can be harmful and even fatal to humans.
The Gaboon Viper is considered one of the most formidable killers to humanity and is primarily distributed in the Middle East and Central Asia, especially in India, China, and Southeast Asia... When bitten by this snake, the venom causes a range of symptoms such as swelling, nausea, and can even lead to brain hemorrhage and severe muscle necrosis. Its venom is estimated to be five times stronger than that of other ordinary snakes.
4. Australian Tiger Snake
Australia is home to countless terrifying creatures. It is the homeland of 21 highly venomous snake species out of the world's top 25 most notorious ones. Therefore, having a solid understanding of these creatures is crucial. Among them, the Tiger Snake stands out as a challenger in the evolutionary race of venom toxicity. They ceased evolving venom 10 million years ago. Their venom contains a function that prevents blood clotting.
Being aggressive and ready to strike back, facing the Australian Tiger Snake entails significant risks. Tiger Snakes account for 17% of all snakebite identifications in Australia, with a fatality rate of 4 deaths in 119 bites. Its venom is 50 times stronger than that of the common cobra. Tiger Snakes exhibit various color variations. They can flatten their necks like cobras but to a lesser extent and are quite large.
Tiger Snakes typically measure around 1 - 1.8 meters in length. Their venom has a significant impact on the human nervous system, targeting the prey's central nervous system, leading to muscle damage and blood clotting. Along with muscle tissue breakdown, it can result in kidney failure, potentially causing death within 30 minutes for both prey and enemies alike.
5. Philippine Banded Krait
Philippine Banded Krait, or Northern Philippine Krait, is a short and highly venomous krait species originating from northern regions of the Philippines. This snake was first described by Taylor in 1922. It is the second most venomous snake in the true krait genus (Naja) after the Caspian Cobra.
Philippine Banded Kraits typically inhabit Eastern and Southeast Asia, with an average length of about 3 meters. They are the largest venomous snakes in the world, with adults reaching lengths of up to 4.5 meters and weighing over 20 kilograms. The venom of the Philippine Banded Krait is the deadliest among krait species, affecting the nervous system, disrupting heart and respiratory functions, leading prey to death in just 30 minutes.
6. Blue Krait
The Blue Krait is most commonly found in Southeast Asia and Indonesia. They can grow up to 160 cm in length, and their venom can be up to 16 times more potent than that of the common krait. Typically, blue kraits tend to evade rather than attack. Their primary diet consists of other snakes, but they also consume fish, frogs, and snake eggs.
The easiest way to identify them is through their coloration. Blue kraits have alternating bands of yellow and black or white and black. They have a triangular-shaped head, large and wide, with black eyes. On their head are yellow markings resembling arrows, and yellow lips. Kraits have complete anal scales and subcaudals, with a small tail measuring one-tenth of their body length. The average length of a blue krait is 1.8 m, with some adults reaching up to 2.25 m.
The habitat of the Blue Krait includes upland, sparse forests, grasslands, stream banks, rice paddies, and they often hide in rock crevices, tree hollows, termite mounds, and rodent burrows. They are solitary and slow-moving, often curling up during the day in burrows or dense vegetation. They hunt during rainy weather and at night, actively foraging along forest edges, stream banks, and puddles. They do not actively pursue prey but instead lie in wait for them to pass by. They are excellent swimmers and often follow the light, and they typically lay eggs and hatch from April to May each year.
7. Black Mamba
In nature, the Black Mamba asserts its dominance over grasslands and rocky hillsides in southern and eastern Africa due to its highly potent venom. Its venom is three times stronger than that of the African cobra, five times stronger than that of the king cobra, and forty times stronger than that of the Gaboon viper. The Black Mamba is dubbed the 'African nightmare' by the people of Africa. Locals refer to a bite from the Black Mamba as the 'Kiss of Death.'
The neurotoxic venom of the Black Mamba can paralyze a fully grown adult within 45 minutes of being bitten. Without prompt medical intervention, death can occur even sooner. In nature, just one bite from a Black Mamba can end the life of its prey within minutes. Hence, experts assert that alongside the inland taipan (Australia), the Black Mamba is the most dangerous and deadly snake on the planet.
Ranked among the fastest moving snakes on Earth, this 'mobile coffin' can reach speeds of up to 20 km/h (about 5.5 meters per second). However, it only utilizes this maximum speed when it feels threatened. It doesn't need speed to hunt, as its primary hunting weapon is its venom and the courage to 'get into the prey's den' to feed. Or it remains 'motionless on branches, rock crevices, or grass clumps to wait for prey to fall into its trap.'
Adult Black Mambas can measure between 2.5m to 4m in length. Their average lifespan in the wild is about 11 years. Black Mambas are highly aggressive snakes. They quickly become angry if provoked. When provoked, they will raise their heads and the front third of their bodies about 2/5 of their body length, similar to king cobras, then open their jet-black mouths as a threat display. In nature, Black Mambas rarely allow prey or unfamiliar individuals to approach them within a radius of 40m. When agitated, their venom will be released at its highest potency.
8. Inland Taipan (Fierce Snake)
The Inland Taipan is a snake possessing the deadliest venom of any terrestrial snake on Earth, also known as the 'Fierce Snake,' scientifically named Oxyuranus microlepidotus. This 2.5-meter snake is found in inland regions of Australia such as Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory.
In addition to having the most terrifying biological venom on land, the Inland Taipan can change its skin color seasonally. It can transition from dark brown to olive green or blackish-green. Scientific research shows that the Inland Taipan's venom is 50 times more toxic than that of regular cobras and 10 times more toxic than that of Mojave rattlesnakes. Just 110mg of venom from the Inland Taipan can cause the deaths of 100 humans within 45 minutes without prompt medical intervention.
When bitten by this snake, victims endure excruciating pain from the lightning-fast strike, resulting in the destruction of 60% of heart muscle cells within the first 10 minutes. The venom, once given the chance to enter the human body, wreaks havoc on the nervous system, causing blood clotting disorders, intense headaches, and paralysis. The Inland Taipan can kill any land animal. With just a tiny amount of venom sprayed after each bite, it can 'dispatch' 250,000 mice to the afterlife.
9. Eastern Brown Snake
The Eastern Brown Snake, also known as the Common Brown Snake, is a species of Elapid snake and is commonly found in Australia. It ranks as the second most venomous snake in the world. Its venom includes neurotoxins and blood coagulants. When mature, they come in various colors such as glossy brown, yellow, and gray-black. Eastern Brown Snakes prey on vertebrates such as frogs, lizards, birds...
Adult Eastern Brown Snakes vary in coloration. Typically brown in color, they may have various patches, spots, and stripes, with body colors ranging from yellow-brown to gray-black, including orange, silver, gold... mature individuals have bodies with horizontally striped gray-black, black-necked heads, and numerous reddish-brown spots on the abdomen. Eastern Brown Snakes have an average length of 1.5 - 1.8m and rarely exceed 2m. They are found along the entire eastern coastline of Australia, from Cape York Peninsula, along the coastal range of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.
The Eastern Brown Snake is diurnal, raising its neck high in an S-shaped stance when provoked. It inhabits a highly diverse range of habitats from wet to dry (woodlands) and coastal vegetation, desert scrublands, dry grasslands. They do not inhabit tropical rainforests or areas with high humidity. Eastern Brown Snakes prey on any vertebrates and especially hunt by injecting venom and constricting prey.
10. Belcher's Sea Snake
The sea snake is a group of venomous snakes inhabiting marine environments, with bodies flattened horizontally like eels. Sea snakes lack gills and often need to surface to breathe. They are commonly found in warm coastal waters from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and are mostly venomous. Among them, the Belcher's sea snake is renowned as the most venomous species in the world.
The primary diet of Belcher's sea snake includes catfish, eels, or sometimes squid. They are easily identifiable by their distinct coloration: Black and white bands or sometimes dark blue. Belcher's sea snake is closely related to land-dwelling venomous snakes. It is dubbed the 'world's most venomous' because just a few milligrams of its venom are enough to kill thousands of people. A bite from Belcher's sea snake may not cause immediate pain, but it can induce symptoms after 4 hours of envenomation, leading to fatality. Victims of this snake are often fishermen, as they can become entangled in their fishing nets. Additionally, unexpected encounters with Belcher's sea snake are common as they frequently surface to breathe. However, many are willing to catch Belcher's sea snake, disregarding the potential dangers due to its high economic value.
