4 Most VENOMOUS Snakes In The World Today!

4 Most VENOMOUS Snakes In The World Today!

You are more likely to die taking a selfie than by getting bitten by a snake. That’s because most snakes would rather slither away from approaching footsteps. But if you’re standing between the snake and its way out, prepare for a fierce confrontation -- and hope that your shovel will sever the serpent’s head before it can strike. While a bite from any snake can cause serious harm, there exists a group of venomous snakes whose bites will deliver a seriously potent and highly toxic dose of venom that could be fatal in the absence of medical attention or appropriate antivenom. Hello, and welcome to another episode of 100M where we’ll look at 10 of the most dangerous and deadliest venomous snakes based on their venom yield, toxicity, and potency.

1, Russell's Viper

Russell’s Vipers are perhaps Asia’s most feared snakes. They are found predominantly in India, China, and Southeast Asia, typically hunting in grasslands where small reptiles and arthropod prey are in plenty. But they prefer the farmlands where their favorite rodent prey is abundant. Their close proximity to human settlement is perhaps the reason why these snakes are responsible for the most snake bite incidents within their range. And because they seldomly deliver dry-bites, most victims are injected with the maximum venom dose with each bite. Probably the reason why it’s dubbed “India’s deadliest snake”, accounting for thousands of snakebite deaths each year. A good-sized Russell’s Viper can deliver up to 147mg of venom in the first bite. But for most humans, a dosage of 40 – 70mg is considered to be lethal. Victims experience severe pain and excessive bleeding at the bite site as well as from the gums. Their venom is also known to destroy the kidney and cause hemorrhaging throughout the body --a deadly long-term effect responsible for claiming the lives of twenty-nine percent of victims who survive the initial bite from the snake.

2. Mojave Rattlesnake

The dreaded Mojave Rattlesnake is undoubtedly the master of the desert, found predominantly in the desert regions of Mexico and the United States. They have a reputation for being overly aggressive when disturbed. When threatened, they shake their rattle-tails to issue a stern warning before striking the intruder. Their bites are highly enervating and potentially deadly. And with one of the highest average venom yields (about 50-150 mg injected in the first bite), they are reckoned to be the most venomous of all pit-viper species, making them one of the deadliest snakes in the world. Their venom is said to be so potent; it rivals the toxicity of some of the most dreaded snakes such as the Black Mamba snake and the King Cobra. However, venom from the Mojave Rattlesnake often takes time to develop symptoms, leading victims to have a false sense of hope. If antivenom is not administered in time to neutralize the effects of the presynaptic neurotoxin in the snake’s bite, the victim will experience blurred vision, muscle weakness, and difficulty breathing, resulting in death.

3. Death Adder

0.15 seconds. That’s how fast the Death Adder will strike, injecting a highly potent neurotoxin that will result in death within six hours if treatment is not forthcoming. Unlike most other snakes, the Death Adder won’t move out of the way when they feel someone approaching. They are masters at camouflaging and will just burrow into debris or leaf litter and wait to ambush their prey or unwary bushwalkers. Victims of the Death Adder’s bite experience loss of motor and sensory functions, as well as a complete shutdown of the respiratory system. Once the venom starts to circulate, victims have a few hours before the symptoms progress to fatal levels. Death adders are estimated to have an average venom yield of up to 180mg per bite, but it only takes a dosage of 10mg of their venom to kill a healthy person. And, while there is an antivenom that can slow down or reverse the effects of the Death viper’s venom, the victim may still experience the symptoms. And death may still be probable if the antivenom was not administered in time.                                                   4. Blue Krait

Never go near the snake with a color pattern of bluish-black crossbands separated by yellowish-white interspaces. That’s the strongly defensive Blue Krait, and it’s one of the most venomous snakes in Asia. The maximum venom yield from this snake is estimated at 18.4 mg but the average venom yield produced per bite is said to be less than 10mg. The snake will inject all of its venoms in the first bite – a very very small dose, but an extremely potent one.