The 25 Most Feared Organisms: The Most Dangerous Snakes in the World

Monday - November 13 2023, 12:02 UTC - 1 year ago

In 2019, a study revealed that humans fear spiders and snakes the most. Fossil records suggest that there are over 3,400 snake species in the world, 600 of which are venomous and only 200 can kill a human. This article looks at the top 10 most dangerous snakes to humans, ranked according to the risk of mortality without antivenom treatment. These snakes include the Eastern Tiger Snake, the Boomslang, and the Russell's Viper.

In the year 2019, a team of psychologists in the Czech Republic conducted an interesting study. They made a list of the 25 organisms widely perceived as "scary" and then conducted surveys to find out which ones humans fear the most. The results of their experiments revealed that spiders and snakes are the most feared organisms among respondents. What’s even more interesting is that we tend to fear those organisms the most that either have a ridiculous number of legs or no legs at all.

Fossil records suggest that snakes evolved around 128 million years ago. Today, there are more than 3,400 snake species. Surprisingly, only 600 of them are venomous, and of these, about 200 species produce venom strong enough to kill a human. Interestingly, there is no clear consensus on the deadliest snake. Instead, there are various key metrics that scientists use to evaluate the risk posed by a snake species to humans.

Based on these evaluations, we’ve curated our own list of the snakes that are deadliest to humans — with the most venomous at the end. One of the most surprising things is that, although many people consider snakes to be dangerous and frightening, most of them are actually very calm and only dangerous to humans when they feel threatened.

10. Eastern tiger snake .

This beautiful but highly venomous snake is responsible for nearly 17 percent of all snake bites reported in Australia. Its name comes from its coloring of tiger stripe-like black bands on a yellow-colored body, but not all tiger snakes have the same body color or pattern.

Found in the coastal areas of southern Australia, the eastern tiger snake is usually shy and tends to avoid people. Still, it is considered dangerous because of its powerful neurotoxic venom that can cause paralysis in humans if left untreated. However, these snakes don’t cause many human deaths (one or two each year) because Australia has good antivenom treatments.

Unlike many other snake species, the female tiger snakes don’t lay eggs and directly give birth to nearly 20 young snakes. The highest number of tiger snake births ever recorded is 64.

9. Boomslang .

The male boomslang is probably the most vibrant-looking snake on our list (females tend to be brown), and it is wise to take the snake's looks as a clear warning sign. Their bite contains a hemotoxin, which destroys red blood cells, disrupts the clotting process, and causes massive hemorrhaging. Doctors have reported boomslang victims who experienced bleeding in their hearts, lungs, brains, and even eyes.

What makes these snakes even more dangerous is that their bite doesn’t cause any immediate effects, meaning that many victims assume that they were bitten by a non-venomous snake and don't realize there is a problem until it’s too late. These snakes inhabit the lush green forests of Africa and mostly feed on lizards, rodents, and birds (and their eggs).

8. Russell’s viper .

Named after Scottish herpetologist Patrick Russell, who made significant contributions to the study of Indian reptiles in the 18th century, Russell’s viper is ranked among the top four deadliest snakes in the Indian subcontinent.

If no antivenom is injected, the mortality rate of this snake reaches 50 to 90%. Its venom affects the platelet and coagulation pathways and produces severe pain and swelling, leading to extensive necrosis and hemorrhage near the bite. In severe cases, the affected limb might have to be amputated.

This snake is the primary culprit of more than half of all snake bite cases in India, as they inhabit the same areas that humans do. In addition, they have been known to feed on rats, frogs, and fish.