What makes snakes so scary is the neurotoxin produced in their modified salivary glands. The snake will then use its fangs to inject this poison into the victim through the wounds.
According to statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO), snake bites average 5.4 million people each year, resulting in the deaths of about 138,000 people.
What makes snakes so scary is the neurotoxin produced in their modified salivary glands. The snake will then use its fangs to inject this poison into the victim through the bite.
The snake's venom has evolved over millions of years to cause severe reactions in victims, ranging from paralysis and tissue inflammation, to bleeding leading to death, the researchers say.
Here are 5 species of snakes that are considered the most dangerous on the planet thanks to their powerful venom.
1. Domestic Taipan Snake
According to the International Journal of Neuropharmacology, the domestic Taipan snake (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) is one of the most venomous snakes in the world. They live hidden in the clay crevices of floodplains in Queensland and southern Australia.
When the taipan feels threatened, the snake will roll its body into an S-shape, like a compressed spring, before darting out with an extremely quick bite.
The main ingredient in the venom of this snake is the enzyme hyaluronidase. This enzyme increases the rate of poison absorption in the victim's body. Usually, just one drop of its venom is enough to kill its prey. Even an adult will fall into a coma, leading to death if accidentally exposed to this terrifying venom.
2. King Cobra
The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the longest venomous snake in the world, measuring up to 5.4 meters. The recognizable feature of cobras is their extendable neck gill region.
The danger of a cobra is not the potency of the venom, but the amount of venom injected into the victim. Accordingly, in each bite, the snake will inject about 7 ml of venom into the victim, not to mention that the snake tends to attack with 3 or 4 consecutive bites.
This causes the victim to quickly go into anaphylactic shock after a few minutes. It is estimated that the amount of poison injected by a snake from a bite can kill an adult human in 15 minutes, or an adult elephant in just a few hours.
3. Black Mamba Snake
The Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is the most dangerous snake in Africa, when it can kill an adult with just 2 drops of venom.
Notably, black mamba snakes are born with 2-3 drops of venom in each tooth, so they are extremely dangerous when they are young. As adults, they can hold up to 20 drops of venom inside each fang.
Black Mamba snake venom leads to paralysis and cardiac arrest. Therefore, if left untreated, the bite of this African snake is always fatal.
4. Boomslang Snake
Boomslang snakes (Dispholidus typus) can be found throughout Africa, and are one of the most venomous snakes in the world. The venom of this snake contains anticoagulants, causing the victim to die from internal and external bleeding.
As described by Scientific American, victims of Boomslang snake bites will immediately experience severe bleeding. Blood will ooze from the victim's eyes, nose, gums... and even in the victim's urine, saliva and vomit, until they die.
5. Saw Scale Viper Snake
The saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) is the smallest member of the "Quad" in India, regularly responsible for snakebite-related deaths in the country.
When feeling threatened, these snakes make a "sizzling" sound by rubbing their distinctive, serrated scales.
When bitten by a viper, the victim will experience local swelling and pain, followed by bleeding. Like the Boomslang snake, the Viper's venom disrupts the ability of blood to clot, so it can cause the victim to bleed to death.
