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While many are familiar with cobras, rattlesnakes, and coral snakes, there is a wide array of venomous snakes that are not commonly mentioned. Here, we explore a few of these lesser-known and often dangerous creatures.
10. Water Cobra
Although it shares a family with true cobras, the water cobra belongs to a distinct genus. Its name comes from its ability to flatten its ribs and create a 'hood,' resembling its more famous relatives. There are two species, with the ringed water cobra being the most prominent. These snakes, primarily found in Africa, can grow as long as 2.7 meters (8.86 feet) and are mostly aquatic, often staying close to the water and being able to remain submerged for extended periods. They are highly venomous but typically shy, only biting when threatened. It's important not to confuse them with the Giant water cobra or false cobra (Hydrodynastes) from South America, which, though larger, are much less dangerous.
9. Mamushi
The Mamushi is the deadliest snake in Japan, also found in Korea and China. A member of the pitviper family, which includes rattlesnakes and the American copperhead, this snake can grow up to 90 cm (3 feet) in length, though it is typically smaller. Despite its size, it is extremely dangerous due to its hemorrhagic venom, which is injected via long, retractable fangs. Its diet primarily consists of fish, frogs, and small mammals, and it gives birth to live young.
8. Mexican jumping viper
With their stout, muscular bodies and broad, flattened heads, these pitvipers closely resemble African species like the Gaboon viper and the puff-adder. Native to the rainforests of Mexico and Central America, they are said to strike with such power that they can lift their body off the ground. Despite their aggression, they are quite timid and will only attack when provoked. When they do bite, however, their strike is much stronger than other vipers, and instead of delivering a quick bite and retreating, they tend to latch on and chew to maximize the amount of venom injected. Mexican jumping vipers can reach lengths of up to 1.2 meters (4 feet), and their venom causes an anticoagulant effect on human blood.
7. Coral Cobra
These snakes, though not true cobras, are named for their vibrant colors and the ability to flatten their neck into a hood. Found in Africa, they are extremely venomous, yet possess short fangs and limited eyesight due to their primarily burrowing lifestyle. Despite their stealthy nature, they should be avoided, as there is no known antidote for their bite. They primarily feed on lizards and small mammals.
6. Spiny Tree Viper
This uniquely designed viper is native to the rainforests of Africa. Its keeled scales give it a distinct spiny or bristly look. Highly venomous, this snake poses a serious risk as there is no known antidote for its bite. Antivenom for other species offers little to no protection against the spiny tree viper's venom. This small (40-70 cm, or 1.3-2.3 ft) but dangerous reptile should be treated with utmost caution.
5. Hognosed Pitviper
Found in Mexico, Central, and South America, the hognosed pitviper is a small snake (75 cm or 2.5 ft long) but carries potent hemotoxic venom, which destroys blood cells and vessels. These snakes are rarely encountered, typically inhabiting rainforests and coastal regions.
4. Burrowing Asp
One of the most unusual snakes, the burrowing asp, found in Africa, features fangs so long they protrude from its mouth, resembling saberteeth. This unique adaptation allows the snake to strike without opening its mouth. Though small and with poor eyesight, it is generally not fatal to adults, but there have been reports of its bite causing fatalities in children.
3. Golden Lancehead
Native to the Brazilian island of Queimada Grande, this pitviper evolved in an environment where birds were the only prey available, as there are no native mammals on the island. To catch them before they could flee, the golden lancehead developed a potent, fast-acting venom. Queimada Grande is the only place on Earth where these pitvipers are found, and their population is so concentrated that the Brazilian government has declared the island off-limits. It’s widely regarded as one of the most dangerous locations in the world.
Though no official reports exist of human fatalities caused by golden lanceheads, local legends speak of people meeting tragic ends on the island. One such tale tells of a man who went to pick bananas and was later discovered in a pool of his own blood on his boat, having been bitten by one or more of the deadly snakes.
Perhaps the most notorious story involves the last keeper of the island's lighthouse. According to the tale, one night, the operator and his family—his wife and three children—witnessed the lanceheads entering through a window. Panicked, they attempted to escape to a boat, but their flight was cut short when they were bitten by multiple snakes hanging from the trees above them.
2. Death Adder
Despite their name and appearance, death adders are not true vipers but are instead part of the Elapidae family, which includes cobras and coral snakes. These venomous snakes are found across Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, and possess one of the most potent venoms in the snake world. Thankfully, an antivenom has been developed specifically for them, reducing the number of fatalities in Australia. However, in New Guinea, death adder bites still claim many lives each year. While well-known in Australia, they remain largely unknown elsewhere.
1. Twig Snake
Twig snakes, slender and often elusive, are native to Africa and belong to the Colubridae family, which is not generally known for its dangerous members (though the boomslang, another African species, is among the deadliest). Like the boomslang, twig snakes have venomous fangs positioned at the back of their mouths, making them less immediately threatening than cobras or pitvipers. Despite this, their venom is extremely toxic and can be fatal to humans. Renowned German herpetologist Robert Mertens tragically died from a bite by one of these snakes, which he had kept as a pet. Twig snakes primarily feed on lizards and birds, earning their name due to their remarkable ability to mimic a twig in the trees, even swaying as if moved by the wind, making them incredibly difficult to spot.
