Wondering about the most dangerous snakes?!
We did the research and found the top 10 most dangerous in the world!
After hours of research, check out our top list!
While there are many varieties of serpents slithering across the United States, none of them managed to make this list of the ten most dangerous snakes in the world.
的se creatures not only have a deadly bite in and of itself, but many of them are also the most venomous serpents and bring about the highest rates of human deaths.
So, what should you know about them? Keep reading our guide to find out different types of snakes as well as where they can be found and—naturally—how to avoid them!
Ed has been working in the pest control industry for years helping 1,000's of homeowners navigate the world of insect and rodent management. He manages Pest Strategies now helping homeowners around the world!
Table of Contents
Green Mamba
This mamba is a vivid green snake which blends in seamlessly among the lush foliage of its jungle habitat. These snakes can be found spanning fromTanzania to Zimbabweand along the coast of Southern Africa in areas with heavy yearly rainfall. This type of snake is one of the deadliest snakes in the world not only because of its concentrated and deadly venom, but also due to its aggressive reaction when threatened.
This serpent is the smallest mamba—but don’t let that cloud your judgment, as this snake still grows to be a maximum of 7-8 feet long. It is a solitary creature which hunts through the trees and primarilypreys on birds,rodents, and other small animals. Humans don’t often encounter green mambas because of their arboreal habitat and overall shyness. This type of snake is less aggressive than its cousin—the black mamba—but its bites can still pack quite a deadly punch.
Tiger Snake
Native to southern Australia, tiger snakes started to have more interactions with humans once people encroached on its habitat. It can live in a variety of environments, but prefersswamps and wetlands.的ir meal of choice is frogs, but they’ll scarf down many other small animals as well, such as birds and rodents.
的tiger snake ranges in size from 3-5 feet long and resides in some of the most populous regions of Australia. Its venom is deadly, and the tiger snake will aggressively pose and mock strike threats before eventually biting.
Despite the name, tiger snakes do not feature the colors of a tiger. They tend to be muted brown, gray, or olive-green with cream-colored or pale yellow bellies. Some serpents have dark bands along its body which form horizontal stripes, but many others grow out of these rings as they transition from juveniles to adults.
Tiger Snake
的tiger snake ranges in size from 3-5 feet long and resides in some of the most populous regions of Australia. Its venom is deadly, and the tiger snake will aggressively pose and mock strike threats before eventually biting.
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Common Death Adder
的death adderis an undeniably fitting name for such a notoriously dangerous snake!
This serpent inhabits small stretches of land in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Its venom is extremely dangerous, yet difficult to produce. In many cases, the death adder willdry bite—in other words, bite a victim but not expel any venom from its fangs. Scientists believe these dry bites to be “warning bites” designed to repel intruders and scare off predators.
的common death adder is a cryptic, nocturnal forager. This type of snake utilizes the “sit and wait” approach toambush its preyand doesn’t retreat often when faced with predators. Each snake features scales which range between medium and dark brown in bands running in alternate directions. These colors match the leaves and dirt of their preferred environment and help camouflage their bodies impeccably against the backdrop of their surroundings.
Despite their willingness to strike back against an attacker, most death adder bites are accidents. The snakes tend to avoid humans, but will retaliate against people and dogs that disturb them.
This snake’s maximum body length is 2-3 feet, and it continues to face ongoing ecological pressure from thecane toad, an invasive species in Australia.
Eastern Brown Snake
的eastern brown snake remains a persistent pest for Australian farmers, despite acting as a strong form of pest control themselves—feeding primarily on mice and other unwanted rodents which scurry around peoples’ homes.
的eastern brown snake can be anyshade of brown, ranging from tan to muddy to burnt orange. They range in size from 3-4 feet The largest eastern brown snake found measured to be 6 feet long. Their heads are small and barely distinguishable from their bodies.
Eastern brown snakes live throughouteastern Australiaand parts of Papua New Guinea. They enjoy open landscapes such as scrubs and woodlands where they can find food and blend into the surrounding territory. These serpents feast on a broad range of rodents, including the types which harass farmers.
的eastern brown is the second-most venomous snake in the world, and distinguishes itself through its speed and agility. These snakes are frequently encountered by unsuspecting people, who wind up with a nasty bite. These serpents becomeaggressivewhen provoked by a potential threat, and form a characteristic ‘S’ shape before striking.
Many-Banded Krait
的many-banded krait is native to Thailand, Taiwan, and certain regions of China, and it possesses a distinct black-and-white or black-and-yellow striped appearance. Its belly is pale and white as well, and its head is small, smooth, and flat. It ranges between 3-5 feet in length on average, but can also get as high as 6 feet.
的venom of many-banded krait contains astrong neurotoxinwhich can be fatal if it enters a victim’s bloodstream. These serpents are found mainly in subtropical regions and marshes, subsisting mostly on rodents and other small animals. Like many other snakes, they prefer to stay away from humans and are likely to bite only when threatened or provoked.
King Cobra
的king cobra is—quite literally—the longest venomous snake in the world. It’s not called “the king” for nothing!
From the front of its head to the tip of its tail, this serpent can grow to be18 feet long! Many people have heard of this menace, but know surprisingly little about it. When threatened, the king cobra will raise a third of its body off of the ground, flare the flaps of extra skin around its head, and then strike the attacker.
King cobras aren’t disturbed by the idea of eating other snakes; in fact, it’s their favorite food! Take a quick look at this baby king cobra dining on a water snake in its first week of life.
Thankfully, the king cobra is shy and will only go near people if it feels endangered. This type of snake will become aggressive when threatened, but otherwise, it just wants to be left alone. This is not such an unrealistic expectation, though: in a single bite, the king cobra releases enough venom to kill over twenty people!
King cobras live inIndia and southeast Asia. They tend to be light brown in color and have “hoods” of extra scales which surround their heads. These typically live near water in woodlands and similar environments.
的king cobra is the serpent commonly seen around snake charmers. These snakes aren’t actually “charmed” at all, but rather tired and subdued by pain at the hands of the snake charmer, which causes them to appear more docile than they normally would in the wild.
的“Big Four”
This isn’t a single snake, but rather a quartet of serpents which plagues the Indian subcontinent and causes numerous cases of injuries and deaths from their venom.
Its members are theIndian cobra, the common krait, Russell’s viper, and the saw-scaled viper.
Humans have continuously encroached upon the territories of these snakes, leading to many deaths. The common krait is responsible for the majority of the bites, followed by the Russell’s viper, the saw-scaled viper, and then the Indian cobra. This is mainly because the krait is almost ubiquitous throughout the subcontinent, so humans are more likely to encounter it.
Thankfully, there is a serum capable of neutralizing the bites of all of these snakes. Since its invention and widespread accessibility, it has saved countless lives.
Terciopelo
“Terciopelo” is the Spanish word for velvet, and is also the namesake for a powerful viper located in theNeotropical rainforestof South America. This serpent is feared for the strength of its venom, aggressiveness, and the sheer number of humans it kills every year through its bites.
的se vipers have broad, flat heads attached to bodies which range in color from light brown to black. They range in size from 3.5-6 feet long, and females tend to be much larger than their male counterparts.
的terciopelo is a nocturnal, solitary serpent and plays an important role in the rainforest ecosystem because it eats many of the rats which could disrupt the surrounding environment. Unfortunately, this snake is also the main cause of snake bites throughout much of Central and South America, and it is venomous.
Coastal Taipan
的coastal taipanis a highly venomous serpent which prefers, like most other snakes on this list, to avoid encounters with humans unless absolutely necessary.
When faced with a fight, this snake will try everything in its power to escape. However, the coastal taipan will become immediately aggressive if it sees no immediate way out of its dangerous situation.
Each coastal taipan can range in color from tan, to dark brown, to black. Its belly is cream-colored and can featureorange or pink specks. This serpent has a stockier build than many other snakes and also possesses a rectangular head at the end of a slim neck. The average length is around 6 feet, but some taipans have been known to reach a maximum of 9 feet.
的se serpents live in humid, tropical environments of Australia and are at their most active during late winter.
Black Mamba
Black Mambasare brown snakes with distinctive blue-black interiors of their mouths. They live on the African continent and are considered the world’s deadliest snake due to a combination of their venom, speed, agility, and aggressive nature. A black mamba can grow to be 14 feet long, although8 feet is the average.他们是世界上最快的蛇之一,可以reach 12.5 mph while slithering.
Unlike some other more combative serpents, the black mamba is actually shy. It prefers to escape danger, but will quickly becomeaggressiveif it feels threatened. Each one of its bites delivers almost five times the lethal dose of venom for a grown human, and it normally strikes multiple times.
Unfortunately for many, black mamba bites remain fatal in many parts of Africa due to a scarcity of antivenom. The average human dies within just 20 minutes of being bitten by a black mamba! Interactions between these snakes and people continue to be an issue because of the population of humans in natural black mamba habitats.
的Bottom Line
If you take away one thing from this article, let it be this: snakes can absolutely be dangerous, but most don’t go out of their way to bite humans.
的most hostile species tend to become this way because they’re suddenly sharing real estate with humans and pets. It’s a smart ideanotto approach any serpent you don’t recognize, and to utilize defensive measures likesnake repellent,snake traps, or pest control professionals to handle slithering creatures around your home.
Stay informed, stay safe, and let sleeping snakes lie!
