Top 10 Dangerous Snakes in the World

There are 3500 snake species in the world, of which around 600 are venomous. These venomous species possess serious threat to humans. Some of them are shy and will flee to avoid human confrontation while others are aggressive and will defend itself fiercely. We have made a list of the top 10 dangerous snakes of the world. Find out which species make it to the top 10 and what makes them so dangerous to have around.

10. Tiger SnakeSource: “Tiger Snake” by Laurie R B – Under Creative Commons license

The Tiger Snake is a large venomous snake and belongs to the family of cobras and black mambas. They can grow to a length of four meters and have patterns of bands of olive-yellow, orange-brown or jet-black and the underside is light yellow or orange. This species is very aggressive like the black mambas.

The Tiger Snake’s venom consists of highly potent neurotoxins, coagulants, myotoxins and haemolysins. Symptoms of the bite include extreme pain in the foot and neck, body tingling, excessive sweating, numbness, trouble breathing and paralysis. The mortality rate for untreated bites is 40 to 60%.

9. Indian CobraSource: “Indian Cobra” by KMKeshav – Under Creative Commons license

The Indian Cobra is a moderately venomous, medium sized, heavy bodies snake with length varying from 3 to 5 feet. When defending itself, it hisses posing a threatening hood and intimidating upright posture. The Indian Cobra mainly feeds on rodents and this is why they are found near human habitat.

The India Cobra venom is highly neurotoxic and contains powerful post-synaptic neurotoxin and cardiotoxins and spreads rapidly into the victim’s body and the symptoms manifest within 15 minutes. Symptoms of the bite includes weak limbs, eyelid drooping and extreme salivation accompanied by vomiting and sweating. The venom acts by paralyzing muscles, and in the most severe bites it can lead to respiratory failure or cardiac arrest and ultimately to death. 

8. Death AdderSource: “Death Adder” by bsabarnowl – Under Creative Commons license

The death adder is a highly venomous snake species. It has a viper like appearance and belongs to the family of cobras and black mambas. The death adders are quite short with triangular heads and small scales on the body. It has a worm like tail to attract prey. What makes them even more dangerous is their lightning fast strike. It can go from strike position to strike and injecting venom, and back to strike position in less than 0.15 seconds.

Unlike other snakes that flee from unaware approaching human walking in the bush, death adders prefer to sit tightly and risk being stepped on, making them even more dangerous. Although, most of the times the death adder will dry bite, its venom is highly toxic neurotoxin and can deliver 70-236 mg of venom. The venom causes paralysis and complete respiratory shutdown and can result in death within six hours, if not treated. The antivenom is only able to slow down the progression of symptoms and death is unavoidable.

7. Russell's ViperSource:“Russell’s Viper” by Thai National Parks – Under Creative Commons license

The Russell’s Viper is an irritable, short tempered and very aggressive snake by nature. These snakes can reach a length of 5.5 feet with a width of six inches. When irritated, coils tightly, hisses and strikes with a lightning speed. Russell’s Viper have flat and triangular head with raised rounded snouts and typically yellow, tan and brown in color.

The Russell’s Viper produces one of the most painful bites among all venomous snakes. A single bite can inject considerable amount of venom which is highly lethal to humans in doses of 40-70 mg. Symptoms of the bite includes excessive bleeding particularly in gums and urine, rapid drop in blood pressure, blistering, necrosis, vomiting, facial swelling, kidney failure and blood clotting. Fortunately, antivenom is relatively effective against the bite, however, the pain from the bite may continue for four weeks.

6. Saw-scaled Viper

Source: “Saw-scaled Viper” by berniedup – Under Creative Commons license

The Saw-scaled Viper is a small snake and grow from 1 to 3 feet. The unpredictability, aggressive temper and extremely lethal venom makes it very dangerous. They have a characteristic threat display, forming a series of parallel C shaped coils and rubbing them together to produce a sizzling warning sound which becomes faster and louder as the snake become more agitated. 

The Saw-scaled Viper is nocturnal in activity. It is one of the most fastest striking snakes in the world and produces very painful bites. The Saw-scaled Viper can inject 12 mg of venom in a single bite while even 5 mg of it is lethal for an adult human and mortality rates for those bitten are very high. The venom affects the coagulation of blood and results in excessive bleeding, blood vomit, dark black feces due to internal bleeding, blood in urine, coughing up of blood, nose bleeding which all may result in hypovolemic shock. The victims also develop decrease in urine output.

5. Indian Krait

Source: “Indian Krait” by Jayendra Chiplunkar – Under Creative Commons license

This highly venomous snake can reach a length of 3.5 feet and has color pattern of bluish-black crossbands that are separated by yellowish-white spaces. The Indian Kraits are nocturnal in their hunting habit. The Krait’s bite causes little to no pain and a sleeping victim might not even realise being bitten as the bite feels like that of an ant or mosquito. The victim may die without waking up.

The Indian krait venom is highly potent and consists of extremely powerful neurotoxin which paralyses its victim’s muscular system. The neurotoxic venom contains presynaptic and postsynaptic toxins. Symptoms of Krait’s bite include inability to speak and think clearly, suffocation, paralysis, abdominal pain, tightened facial muscles and blindness.

Unlike other snakes which may deliver 250 to 400mg of venom in a single bite, the Indian Krait only deliver 10mg. But it has the same effect as others and only 2.5mg is enough to kill an adult human. Due to presynaptic toxin, the victim will not respond to antivenom because the paralysis developed cannot be reversed. The mortality rate of an untreated Krait’s bite is 70-80% and the victim can die within four hours of the bite if left untreated.

4. King Cobra

Source: “King Cobra” by Michael Allen Smith – Under Creative Commons license

The King Cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world. They can grow up to 18 feet with a highest recorded length of around 19.2 feet. The snake is typically shy and avoids confrontation with humans when possible but continuous provocation can make it highly aggressive. When alarmed, it rears up to one-third of its length showing its hoods and fangs, hisses loudly which is very intimidating.

Though, its venom may not be the most toxic, it can inject high volumes of venom in a single bite. The amount of venom injected in a single bite is from 350 to 500 mg with the maximum venom injection of 1000 mg which can even kill an elephant within hours. It can deliver multiple bites in a single attack. The neurotoxic venom affects the victim’s central nervous system resulting in severe pain, blurred vision, vertigo, drowsiness and eventually paralysis. Death due to respiratory failure occurs within 30 minutes.

3. Eastern Brown Snake

Source: “Eastern Brown Snake” by John Englart (Takver) – Under Creative Commons license

The Eastern Brown Snake’s bad temper, aggression combined with its speed makes it an extremely deadly snake. It can reach an average length of 7 feet and has a slender body with a short and rounded head. They are usually orange or brown with variation ranging from lighter to darker brown to almost black.

It is the second most venomous snake in the world. In a single bite it injects a very small amount of venom, about 5 mg, which is enough to kill an adult human. Early symptoms of the Eastern Brown Snake bite include coagulation of the blood, a sudden drop in blood pressure, severe bleeding and heart failure, kidney failure, extreme nausea and vomiting and migraine. Bite’s symptoms manifest within fifteen minutes. The rapid onset of symptoms negates the benefit of antivenom.

2. Coastal Taipan

Source: “Coastal Taipan” by Scott Eipper – Under Creative Commons license

This large and highly venomous snake species can be very aggressive and will actively defend itself. This extremely nervous and alert snake will attack with any movement near them without much provocation, inflicting multiple bites with extreme accuracy and efficiency. The muscular lightweight body of the taipan allows it to hurl forwards or sideways and reach high off the ground and attacks with such a speed that a person may be bitten several times before realizing the snake’s existence. 

The taipan can deliver 120 to 400 mg of venom per bite. The taipan venom contains a type of neurotoxin which affects the nervous system and the blood’s ability to clot. The victim of the bite experience headache, nausea, vomiting, collapse, convulsions, paralysis, internal bleeding, kidney damage. Even with the anti-venom given within a few hours of bite, the evolution of paralysis cannot be reversed or prevented. In severe cases, death can occur within 30 minutes of bite and the average death time after bite is 4-6 hours. The mortality rate is 100% if not treated medically.

1. Black Mamba

Source: “Black Mamba” by hape662 – Under Creative Commons license

The African black mamba is a large and highly venomous snake species. It is the second longest venomous species of snake in the world which can grow upto 10 feet on average. It is the fastest moving snake in the world and can move with a speed of 5.4 meters per second. When threatened, the black mamba can rear-up around one-third of its length from the ground which can be as high as four feet.

The black mamba can deliver very quick, extremely accurate and effective multiple strikes, injecting large amount of venom with each strike. The black mamba doesn’t deliver dry bites (no venom injected). The black mamba can deliver 120 to 400 mg of mainly neurotoxic venom in a single bite, however, only 10 to 15mg of its venom is enough to kill an adult human.

Its venom is the most rapidly acting venom of any snake species inducing symptoms within 10 minutes. Symptoms include extreme drowsiness, inability to speak, nausea, vomiting, extreme sweating severe tingling, metallic taste in the mouth, drooping eyelids, neurological disfunction, blurred vision, paralysis of the respiratory system. Human are completely incapacitated within 45 minutes and die within seven hours if no medical treatment is provided.