The fear of snakes is something that is practically encoded in our genes. And in April 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) offered a compilation of facts and figures about the incidence and severity of snakebites worldwide. And the results were, to say the least, alarming.
It is estimated that each year there are 5.4 million snakebites, of which 2.7 million ends with poisoning. This poisoning, depending on the snake species, can lead to muscle paralysis, respiratory arrest, bleeding, death of cell tissues, kidney failure ...
This explains why between 81,000 and 138,000 people in the world die each year from a snake bite and that more than 300,000 people must be subjected to amputations (in the limb where the bite has been suffered) or are left with permanent disabilities.
Here is the list of some most dangerous snakes in the world.
01.Gariba Viper
Present in Africa, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan, the Gariba Viper stands out for being very aggressive. Although it feeds on rodents, lizards, amphibians, and insects, its aggressiveness and powerful venom and the fact that it is more active at night make it probably (according to estimates) one of the snakes that causes the most deaths in the world. Even people who survive can be in pain for up to a month.
02.Forest Cobra
The forest cobra inhabits the forest regions of Central Africa and, due to its aggressiveness and powerful venom, is considered one of the most dangerous snakes. It is the longest cobra species, although, however, due to the habitat they occupy, there are very few cases of bites.
03.Death Viper
Its name already indicates that we are not facing a docile animal. The death viper, a native of Australia and New Guinea, has a powerful venom, but that's not what makes it worthy of the name. It is her hunting method that makes her so special. It has a black body and a light-colored tail, very similar to a worm.
What it does to attract prey is to wag its tail, recreating the movement of a worm. And when prey is close, it strikes with the fastest bike on the planet. In just 0.13 seconds, the snake has already injected the venom.
04.Rattlesnake
A classic. The Rattlesnake is one of the few snakes from the American continent present on this list, but undoubtedly one of the most famous. It stands out for the sound emitted by its tail. It has a powerful poison that causes blood to clot, so its bite is very lethal. It inhabits deserts and arid areas from southern Canada to northern Argentina.
05.Black-necked spitting cobra
The black-necked spitting cobra is a snake that inhabits many countries in Central Africa since its habitat is the savanna and semi-desert regions. However, it can also be found in deforested areas. Its venom is potent and somewhat peculiar since it is not neurotoxic but cytotoxic, which means that it induces the death of cells in the body.
06.Common Krait
The common krait or blue krait is one of the most poisonous snake species in the world. In fact, some studies seem to indicate that its neurotoxic effect could be up to 16 times greater than that of the king cobra. They are found in the Indian subcontinent and are the ones that cause the most bites.
You must be logged in to post a comment.