In a world where mystery and danger intertwine in the shadows of forests and the hidden corners of deserts, snakes stand out as fascinating and feared creatures. With their discreet and lethal presence, they occupy a place of respect and caution in wildlife. From the dense jungles of the Amazon to the arid lands of Australia, each snake carries with it a story of evolution, adaptability and, above all, a capacity for survival that challenges nature's most audacious explorers.
I'm Donato de Paula, narrator of Mistérios do Mundo, and here is our video about the 16 most venomous snakes on Earth. If you like the video, don't forget to like, subscribe to the Mistérios do Mundo channel and turn on notifications. Surucucu Common in the Amazon Rainforest, it is the largest venomous snake native to South America, reaching more than 3 meters in length, and with fangs measuring more than 3 cm.
Attacks, which are not so common, only happen when someone does not notice the animal's presence and ends up getting too close to it. The venom of this snake can cause severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea and dizziness, as well as necrosis, edema, blisters and coagulation disorders. They spend the day hiding in holes, tree roots and abandoned burrows, and only come out at night to hunt small mammals.
This creature is able to identify animals and hunt by heat, following their thermal trail. True Coral Snake Coral snakes are small, vibrantly colored and highly venomous. They have the second strongest toxin of all snakes, but are less dangerous than others, as they have a less effective distribution system and their fangs are weak, unable to pierce a boot, for example.
Fatalities from their bite are rare and they are not very painful. The snake's neurotoxic substance causes rapid paralysis and respiratory failure in its prey, but it can take many hours for symptoms to appear in humans, long enough to travel to a hospital. However, they don't attack willy-nilly; The coral doesn't attack.
The accident occurs when the animal is handled or stepped on, so be careful, as it is a very common snake in Brazil. Jararaca-ilhoa This dangerous species of snake is only found in Brazil, but before you get scared, know that you will never come across one of these. They only live on Ilha da Queimada Grande, in São Paulo.
The island is completely taken over by these snakes, which is why access is completely controlled by the State authorities. Despite being extensively studied, there is still no known fully effective antidote against this animal's venom, which is very strong and can kill an adult in around two hours. The history of Snake Island is very old, it was formed at the end of the last ice age, around 11,000 years ago, when the sea level rose, separating that hill from the mainland, transforming it into an island, isolating a population of common pit vipers, which have evolved and developed a venom that is much more lethal than that of their land-dwelling relatives.
Death snake This snake is native to Australia and is found in very dry places. They are treacherous animals that camouflage themselves and hide to attack their unsuspecting prey. Death snake venom is neurotoxic and leads to a loss of control in the muscular system, this can result in respiratory failure and death if the antidote is not administered in time.
For this creature, it costs a lot in terms of energy to produce toxins, which is why they usually give a warning dry bite first. If the threat persists, then they choose to inject poison. Biuta The biuta is a snake that only inhabits the African savannas, famous for the blowing sound it usually makes.
At around 1 meter long, it commands a lot of respect in its natural habitat. This snake's bite releases between 150 and 350 milligrams of venom, but in some cases this number can reach 750. To give you an idea, just 100 mg of the substance is enough to kill a human being.
With proper treatment, it is possible to greatly reduce the risk of death, but in some cases, even if the victim To survive, it is necessary to amputate the affected limbs due to infections and gangrene caused by the wound. Australian Copperhead As the name suggests, these snakes are part of the wide list of dangerous animals that you can find in Australia. There are few cases involving attacks by these snakes on humans, as they tend to avoid contact with people as much as possible, but if for some reason they feel threatened by their presence, they can and will probably attack to defend themselves, and these attacks can be lethal.
Since the venom of the copperhead snake is also neurotoxic, causing paralysis and respiratory failure. Furthermore, toxins attack red blood cells and can cause mass destruction in cells in the affected area. Gwardar This snake, another native to Australia, is a very fast species, famous for its agility.
Also called the western brown snake, it is active during the day and feeds on rats, mice, birds, lizards and other snakes in a very rapid attack. Just like the common brown, its venom has neurotoxins and procoagulants and does not usually attack humans, unless, of course, they feel threatened. The bite is usually painless and difficult to see because of the small fangs.
Human symptoms of a gwardar bite are headache, nausea, abdominal pain, severe coagulopathy, and sometimes kidney damage. King cobra The king cobra is the largest venomous snake in the world, reaching more than 5 meters in length. Its diet includes eggs, lizards, small mammals and mainly other snakes.
In a single bite, this animal can release up to 7 milliliters of neurotoxin, which is enough to kill even large mammals like elephants in one fell swoop. The venom of king snakes is neurotoxic in action, and the symptoms of the bite include nausea, vomiting and paralysis of the pharynx and tongue, which means that whoever is attacked will have great difficulty making sounds and shouting for help. Furthermore, the poison also causes difficulty swallowing, excessive salivation, blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness and paralysis.
As if that were not enough, the bite is very painful, and if the victim does not receive adequate care quickly, the condition progresses to respiratory problems and cardiovascular collapse. Unfortunately, the king cobra is heavily hunted for its meat and skin, which is used in traditional medicine in South Asian countries, where it is native. This factor, together with the destruction of its habitat, means that this species is currently threatened with extinction.
Black Mamba The black mamba has a great reputation, it is one of the deadliest snakes in the world, it is also the fastest land snake and the second longest, and this reputation is not unfair. They are very aggressive when threatened, attacking repeatedly and injecting a large volume of venom with each attack. Its toxin is potentially lethal, and although the antidote exists, it is not widely available in the black mamba's native habitat, which is southern and eastern Africa.
Therefore, they are considered the main killers on a continent where almost 20 thousand people die from snake bites every year. Just two drops of poison can kill a human. The substance shuts down the nervous system and paralyzes victims.
Without the antidote, there is no way to survive. The mortality rate from a sting is 100%. Fatalities from black mamba bites occur between 30 minutes and 3 hours.
Cobra Cobras are very popular snakes, especially because they are always associated with snake charmers. In India, enchanting them is a common practice, but these animals are also present in various corners of Africa and in South and Southeast Asia. However, there is a truth that you might not want to know about cobras: they have no hearing, so they cannot hear the sound of the flute when it is played.
What makes the cobra stay in position is its extreme desire to attack the piper. Some species are referred to as spitting snakes, as they are able to expel venom through their fangs using a different mechanism than the others, which have a striated opening on the front surface, allowing the animal squirts the deadly liquid out of its own mouth. The range and precision with which the poison reaches the target varies greatly.
But once in contact with the skin, endless irritation will begin; if the toxin comes into contact with the eyes, the victim may become temporarily or permanently blind. Therefore, the substance must be removed as soon as possible. The neurotoxicant attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis, swelling and necrosis of the bitten area.
Malaysian Craite Native to Indonesia and Southeast Asia, Malaysian craites couldn't be scarier and are nocturnal creatures, during which time they really transform into monsters ready to attack. Their main targets are snakes of the same species, which makes them murderous cannibals in disputes that always end in death, often double. But where the danger really lies is in their bites.
They are very poisonous and 50% of cases of craitis bites, even with the administration of the antidote, result in fatalities. The neurotoxins in the venom of these snakes cause cramps, spasms and tremors, ending in muscular paralysis, which also means cardiorespiratory arrest. In many cases where the antidote is administered, the victim of craitis can remain in a permanent coma and even suffer brain death due to hypoxia, which is the absence of sufficient oxygen in the tissues to keep bodily functions functioning.
Fortunately, because they are nocturnal, attacks on humans are not very common, but just in case, it is best to avoid getting close to their habitats. Sea Serpent As if the home of creatures that are beyond frightening were not enough, the oceans are also home to deadly crawling beings. The sea serpent, in particular, can be found throughout the Indian Ocean coastline and in Australia.
Even though this snake evolved from terrestrial ancestors, it adapted to an aquatic life that made it unable to move on land. Sea snakes are very aggressive, especially when provoked, and the chance of death after being bitten is 90%. Its venom is highly lethal; however, what sets the sea snake apart is that each bite has a low volume of toxins, making the symptoms imperceptible at first.
But the worst comes next: because they do not present symptoms, victims often do not seek medical attention or special care, and that is where the danger lies. Within 12 hours after the bite, enough time has passed for the venom to act in the bloodstream, causing paralysis of the respiratory system or cardiac arrest. Vipers Vipers are popular snakes around the world, but the danger lies in the Middle East and Central Asia .
In these regions, it is possible to find the serrated viper. These species are highly active at night, especially after rain. They are sneaky and their bite, in addition to being very painful, causes extreme swelling, leading to superficial tissue necrosis.
Its venom causes blood pressure to drop sharply, along with heart rate. Bleeding is very common associated with viper bites, and death from septicemia, respiratory or cardiac failure can occur between 1 and 14 days after the bite or even later. In Australia and New Guinea, the species Acanthophis resides, known as the death viper.
This snake has the fastest attack in the world; it pounces and returns to its original position in just 1. 3 seconds. Fortunately, humans are not very attractive to them; however, these animals love to hunt similar animals, even their own species.
Tiger Snake Found mainly in Australia, this snake has a neurotoxic venom that can kill a person in a short time. Death can occur within 6 to 24 hours, depending on how care is administered after the bite. However, records indicate fatalities that occurred within 30 minutes.
Before the development of antidotes, the mortality rate from tiger snake bites was up to 70%. And even then, it's not good to take risks. This snake attacks with unerring precision.
The tiger snake strikes when it feels threatened and promises a quick but painful death to the unlucky one who crosses your path. The first symptoms are intense pain in the area of the bite, spreading throughout the body and neck region, then causing numbness in the limbs, sweating, difficulty breathing and, finally, muscle paralysis, including the heart. Cascavel The name "rattlesnake" means " sounding snake" in the Tupi language.
And what makes them most identifiable is a kind of rattle present at the tip of their tail, making them considered the most venomous snakes in the Americas. It may seem strange, but puppies are where the danger lies. This is because they are unable to control the amount of venom they inject into their prey.
Most of these snakes have hemotoxic substances that destroy tissues, organs and interrupt blood flow, causing muscle damage, affecting the kidneys and the nervous system. Even undergoing immediate treatment, the victim of a rattlesnake suffers from difficulty breathing, paralysis, salivation and intense bleeding, which can range from the loss of a limb to death. Especially from larger species, rattlesnake bites are very lethal.
The venom is capable of destroying blood cells, causing muscle damage. However, the mortality rate is reduced to less than 4% when the antidote is administered correctly and as quickly as possible. Eastern Brown Snake As if it wasn't enough that Australia is home to some of the scariest creatures on the planet, the country is also home to the eastern brown snake, known for having the second most powerful venom of all land snakes.
The bite is fatal and causes the victim's death within a few hours. Just one drop is enough to kill an adult human being. This snake's venom contains neurotoxins and coagulants that cause the blood to turn to jelly within a few hours.
And the temperament of this animal is beyond frightening. The snake can be very aggressive and attack repeatedly. The only good news is that less than half of their bites contain venom, and these creatures don't attack freely.
They just react to people's movement. So, if you're hiking in Australia and come across one of these, well, you'll know what not to do. Inland Taipan This creature is by far the scariest one that you certainly wouldn't want to encounter out there.
With a venom 800 times more potent than that of the rattlesnake, the inland taipan is the most dangerous snake in the world. She lives in New Guinea and, of course, Australia. With the venom contained in its cavities, one specimen of this species can kill up to 100 adult men.
The inland taipan has two very thin fangs, capable of penetrating the skin of its target and granting an extremely quick death. The lifespan of a healthy adult male after being stung by it is only 6 minutes; if the snake is a baby, the victim can survive for up to 45 minutes. Its hemotoxic venom causes the blood to liquefy, destroying cells and causing extreme internal bleeding.
Before the development of antidotes, there were no known survivors of a taipan bite. This snake has the power to change color, becoming greener during the winter and redder during the summer, in order to better camouflage itself and attack mammals, its main targets. So, you can't be too careful.
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