Top 10 Poisonous Snakes
The idea of poisonous snakes or snakes of any kind can be frightening to many people. These legless reptiles have played roles in horror stories and myths from ancient times to modern movies. But if you have ever wanted to know what were the top ten poisonous snakes then look no further than this article.
The Top 10 Poisonous Snakes Countdown
For a while, the title of world's most poisonous snakes was up for grabs but now better testing and research has made this list possible:
Top 10 Poisonous Snakes 1 - Belcher's Sea Snake or the Faint-banded Sea Snake. This snake was named by John Edward Gray for famed British explorer, Sir Edward Belcher. This docile and friendly snake is a native of the coastal waters off Northwestern Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The venom of this animal is roughly 100 times more powerful than its closest competitor, the Inland Taipan, but even when it bites in self defense; it rarely delivers a lethal dose.
Top 10 Poisonous Snakes 2 - The Inland Taipan is a native of the dry, desert regions of Australia. This shy and timid snake seldom attacks humans (unless severely provoked) which a good thing since it is considered to be the most poisonous or "hot" land snake in the world. The Inland Taipan can deliver a single bite that is 200-400 times more venomous than a cobra's and is strong enough to kill a 100 people.
Top 10 Poisonous Snakes 3 - The next poisonous snake on our list is the Beaked Sea Snake. This poisonous snake can be found from the Persian Gulf to the coasts of Australia. One bite has venom enough to kill 10 men. Plus this snake has reputation to biting seemingly unprovoked and is responsible for 50% of all sea snake bites and 90% of the all the fatalities.
Top 10 Poisonous Snakes 4 - The Krait. Found only in Asia, this snake has venom that is 15 times more lethal than a cobra's. People are often bitten by this snake after being surprising it while it is sleeping during the day, since the Krait seeks shelter in huts, tents, sleeping bags and other covered areas near human habitats.
Top 10 Poisonous Snakes 5 - Philippine Cobra as its name implies, is a native of the Philippines Islands and is known for its traditional flaring cobra hood which has made it a special pet among snake charmers and handlers.
Top 10 Poisonous Snakes 6 - The King Cobra or Indian King Cobra, the cobra that world looks to hate. This is easily the largest of the poisonous snakes since it can grow up to 13 feet (4 m) in length and weigh over 20 lbs. (9 kg). While not the most poisonous, the King Cobra can pump out a great deal of venom in a single bit, enough to kill 20 humans or a single elephant!
Top 10 Poisonous Snakes 7 - Russell's Viper is considered by many to be deadliest poisonous snake in Asia since it is frequently found around human dwellings and it quick strikes make escaping from it difficult if not impossible.
Top 10 Poisonous Snakes 8 - But the Black Mamba of Africa is one the top man-killers because, they inhabit a wide territory (some 13 nations) and nest in an even wider variety of environments. And not only is the Mamba the largest poisonous snake in Africa, second only to the King Cobra in size, it holds the claim of being the fastest snake in the world. A mamba can reach speeds of 12 mph, almost 3 times as fast as a human can run!
Top 10 Poisonous Snakes 9 - The Yellow-Jawed Tommygoff, which is more commonly named the 'Fer-de-lance' is a native of South America. Known for being irritable and quick to strike this snake is responsible for a high rate of injuries and deaths. They are especially dangerous due to their "heat-seeking" fangs, which allow them to find and strike targets accurately in the darkest of nights.
To round out our countdown is the Top 10 Poisonous Snakes 10 - The Multibanded krait or Many Banded or Taiwanese Banded krait is commonly found in India and Southeast Asia. Its venom has a very power neurotoxin that leads to paralysis and eventually death.
