Which are the most venomous snakes in the world?
So, at the very beginning, the question arises on the criteria used for choosing these particular snake species. Is the research based on how many deadly encounters annually humans have with snakes, or which venom is the deadliest and fastest killing one? Since not all fatal encounters are counted or even reported, no serious research had been done by these criteria. On the other side, habitats of some of the most venomous snake species in the world do not coincide with human settlements, like deserts for example. So, variables used in the researches must be reliable and measurable, for them to be comparable and later used by other researches.
We have collected data from Untamed Science, Australian Venom Research Unit and one of the pioneering articles on this subject (The Lethality in Mice of dangerous Australian and Other Snake Venom), that used venom strength as a criterion, which we then compared and picked out the first 20 most venomous snakes in the world.
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According to these resources, a reliable method for determining venom strength is comparing the LD50 (median lethal dose) value of the venom. The LD50 values in researches are obtained by injecting venom intravenously into laboratory mice. LD50 value is a measure that shows how many milligrams of snake venom per kilogram is fatal for the victim. So, the smaller the LD50 value is, the stronger the venom, because less portion of the venom is needed to kill a victim. Even so, some of the snakes with the strongest venoms might not inject enough venom when biting, while some other, less venomous, like the King cobra, inject a far larger portion of the venom that might result in death.
If you like reading about dangerous species and all the other wonders our Mother Earth has given us, don’t miss our article on 11 Countries With the Most Dangerous Animals.
Perhaps it is not surprising that most of the deadliest and most venomous snake species on our list come from Australia, because of the fact that 2/3 of all Australian snake species are venomous, and some of them extremely dangerous, as you will see. You might also be surprised to find out that many of these snakes are actually aquatic species, and the famous King cobra is not even on the list! So, let’s see which snakes are on this list of most venomous snakes in the world! Click on next to find out!
20. Neotropical rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus)
LD50: 0.17
This species is partially distributed throughout the South American continent, inhabiting a wide range of habitats, preferring drier stony deserts, and semi-arid areas rather than forested lands. It grows up to 1 meter in length. Depending on the surroundings, coloration and patterning vary, but it is usually brownish in color with a diamond shaped pattern that merges with two lines that extend from the base of the head. Its bite can be medically treated, but since most victims are far away from a hospital, they result in several deaths in South America annually.
19. Beaked sea snake, hook-nosed sea snake, common sea snake (Enhydrina schistosa)
LD50: 0.164
Beaked sea snake ranks 19th in our list of the 20 most venomous snakes in the world. This is an aquatic species that lives in waters of Indian and Pacific oceans and is very common near the coasts of India and Malay Peninsula, and a bit less common around northern Australian coasts. It inhabits the shallow sea and lagoons, and sometimes even freshwater lakes, and was even reported in Goa river in India, and some Australian rivers. The average body length goes up to 140 centimeters. Dorsal (back) side is grayish in color, with darker stripes covering the base, and ventral side (belly) is slightly lighter, yellowish white.
18. Seakrait, Black-banded seakrait, Large-scaled seakrait (Laticauda laticaudata)
LD50: 0.16
Seakrait is a common species in southwestern Pacific ocean around Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, up to China and Japan, and seldom found around Indian coast, where inhabits mangroves and coral reefs. Seakrait has a slender body with an average length of 70 centimeters, and it is vividly colored, with a light gray or bluish base with dark black stripes. Luckily, even being very venomous, it rarely attacks, even when being threatened and provoked.
17. Gaboon Viper (Bitis gabonica)
LD50: 0.14
Gabon Viper ranks 17th in our list of the 20 most venomous snakes in the world. The Gaboon Viper lives mostly in equatorial, and east and southeast Africa, and it was named after Gabon, where it was originally found. It inhabits tropical rainforests and woodlands. This is one large and heavy snake. With around 1.8 meters of average body length and about 20 kg weight, it is considered the heaviest venomous snake in Africa. It has a characteristically thick body and distinctive triangle-shaped head, with huge fangs that can reach up to 5 centimeters. This snake also rarely attacks humans, only when severely provoked or stepped on.
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16. Puff Adder (Bitis arietans)
LD50: 0.14
The Puff Adder inhabits African continent below Sahara region and a part of the Arabian Peninsula, where it is one of the commonest species. It prefers savannas and grasslands, so it is absent from African rainforest areas. Since it occupies a wide range of habitats, its coloration varies from region to region, but it is characteristic for its U-shaped stripes along the body. The name Puff Adder comes from snake’s habit to hiss very loudly when threatened as a warning signal, when it is ready to inflict a deadly bite fast.
15. Black Tiger Snake (Notechis ater niger)
LD50: 0.131
Notechis ater niger ranks 15th in our list of the 20 most venomous snakes in the world. Black Tiger Snake is a subspecies of tiger snakes that inhabits southern and western parts of Australia, also Tasmania and Bass Strait Islands. It dwells in marshland and coastal areas, which is a bit drier habitat than the one inhabited by other tiger snakes. It is darkly colored – dark brown on the dorsal (back) side, and slightly lighter on the ventral side (belly). It is considered one of the most venomous species in Australia.
14. Forest Cobra (Naja melanoleuca)
LD50: 0.12
The Forest Cobra inhabits subtropical forests of sub-Saharan central, southern and western Africa. In coastal areas and in the lack of rainforests, like in savannahs and drier forests it prefers wetter areas near water. Its usual length is around 1.5 meters, but some specimens can grow up to 3 meters in length. It has a recognizable hood which is formed by elongated ribs with the ability to spread when threatened. It is darkly colored, with white-yellowish stains on the ventral side (belly) in the upper part of the body, and on the inside of the hood and the snout. The bite of forest cobra can be fatal within 30-120 minutes after the infliction.
13. Tiger snake (Notechis scutatus)
LD50: 0.118
As mentioned earlier, Tiger Snakes have several subspecies due to a vast range of regions they inhabit. Common Tiger Snakes can be found throughout southern and western Australia. The usual body length is 1.2-1.6 meters. They have a recognisable banded pattern, hence the name and the band colors vary from brown, black, olive, while the base color is usually yellowish. The mortality rate in humans goes as high as 40-60% when the bite is not medically treated.
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12. Common European viper, common European adder (Vipera berus)
LD50: 0.11
Common European viper ranks 12th in our list of the 20 most venomous snakes in the world. This is a widespread species that inhabits most of Europe, throughout Eurasia to Eastern Asia, and can be found in many habitats, preferably with wetter conditions – mountains, meadow forests, forest-steppes, etc. It is a relatively small species, with an average body length of around 50 centimeters. Coloration depends on geographical region but can be recognized by the zig-zag pattern on its dorsal (back) side. The pattern is darker colored than the base color, which can vary from very light and gray hues to almost completely black when the pattern is barely visible or absent.
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11. Horned viper, desert horned viper (Cerastes cerastes)
LD50: 0.1
Horned viper inhabits deserts and semi-arid regions of North Africa and the Middle East. It is a rather small snake, with the average body length of just around 30-60 centimeters. Horned viper is mostly recognized by its horns above eye ridges. They are usually lightly colored so that they can camouflage in sandy and arid environments they occupy. According to legend, this snake could have been responsible for Cleopatra’s theatrical death.
10. Taipan, coastal taipan, eastern taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus)
LD50: 0.99
Taipan ranks 10th in our list of the 20 most venomous snakes in the world. Taipan inhabits northern Australia and New Guinea island. It inhabits temperate and tropical wet regions, including monsoon forests and moist grasslands. Although named “coastal”, it is also found away from the shore and at places with lower temperatures. Taipan is slender and long snake (1.5-2 meters), and considered to be the largest venomous snake in Australia, having also the longest fangs, up to 1.3 centimeters. Taipans are evenly colored, dark brown to black. Even though it is only at the 10th place on our list, it could be said that it is one of the most venomous snakes in the world concerning the mix of toxins contained in its venom, which cause a series of tissue paralyses, destruction of muscles, internal bleeding and suffocation.
9. Common Indian krait, blue krait (Bungarus caeruleus)
LD50:0.09
Common Krait is indigenous to India and surrounding countries. It inhabits grasslands, scrub forests as well as cultivated land, where close encounters with humans are frequent, where it sometimes even enters houses. Even so, it only attacks when it is extremely necessary. The average length is about 1 meter, and the head is a bit distinct from the slender body. Being mostly nocturnal species, it is darkly colored, black or dark blue, with thin white bands throughout the whole body.
8. Yellow-bellied snake (Pelamis platurus)
LD50: 0.07
This is an aquatic snake, and although it is one of the most world widely spread aquatic species, including Indian (East African coast, Madagascar) and Pacific oceans (to the west coast of Americas), it is commonest in the coastal areas of Australia. It is a tiny and slender snake, with an average length of around 70 centimeters. Being named “yellow-bellied” , it’s obviously lightly colored on the ventral side (belly), and the ventral (back) side is black or dark brown.
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7. Boomslang (Dispholidus typus)
LD50: 0.07
Dispholidus typus ranks 7th in our list of the 20 most venomous snakes in the world. Boomslang inhabits a wide range of habitats in sub-Saharan Africa. It can be found in a variety of wooded grasslands, savannas, and low forests. It dwells almost exclusively on trees, hence the name “boomslang “ which literally means “tree snake” in Dutch and Afrikaans. This is a slender species that can reach up to 2 meters in length. They are usually green brownish in color. Its bite is deadly for humans, if not medically treated, but its jaw anatomy is not quite well adapted for biting humans, but smaller prey.
6. Tiger rattlesnake (Crotalus tigris)
LD50: 0.06
This is an American species of vipers, which inhabits desert scrubs and rocky, arid environments of the southwestern United States and Sonoran desert in Mexico. The average body length is rather small, around 60 centimeters, and they are recognized by their small heads comparing to body size. Their bodies are covered with darker bands on lighter base which is usually blue-gray or brownish-orange.
5. Black mamba (Dendropaspis polyepis)
LD50: 0.05
Black mamba ranks 5th in our list of the 20 most venomous snakes in the world. This highly venomous snake is indigenous to eastern and southern Africa. They grow around 2.5 meters on average, and have slender body structure, being lightly colored – light brown to gray. So, why black mamba then? The name comes from the color of the interior of their mouths, which they open widely when being challenged. Black mambas can be very aggressive. When threatened and ready to attack, they often raise their upper body high off the ground, hiss violently, and attack very fast. Sometimes mamba can bite several times during an attack, each time injecting a huge portion of highly toxic venom into its victim. Deaths caused by this snake are still very often, with fatal results occurring only 30-60 minutes after the bite, if not medically treated immediately.
4. Eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis)
LD50: 0.05
Eastern or common brown snake ranks 4th in our list of most venomous snakes in the world. It inhabits a wide variety of ecosystems of eastern Australia and sparsely in New Guinea, from savannas, pastures, coastal lands, to arid shrublands and farmlands. The average length is 1.1-1.8 meters, and they are evenly brownish orange colored. Being present in urban areas, encounters with humans are very often and therefore this snake is most responsible for many annual deaths caused by snake bites in Australia.
3. Dubois’ reef sea snake (Aipysurus duboisii)
LD50: 0.04
Dubois’ reef sea snake ranks 3rd in our list of the 20 most venomous snakes in the world. The most venomous aquatic snake species occupies tropical coasts of north Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia. The average body length is around 80 cm, and coloration and patterning greatly vary.
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2. Russel’s Viper (Vipera russelii)
LD50: 0.03
We are continuing our list of most venomous snakes in the world with Russel’s viper that inhabits India, and southeastern Asia. They are rather large snakes, around 1.2 meters on average. They are nicely and vividly colored, yellowish base with dark black and brown spots on the dorsal (back) side. Concerning its size, it can attack large prays, and sometimes even lift a large victim off ground. It also injects very high dose of venom with a single bite 130-270 mg per bite! This snake is considered to be responsible for the most deadly bites in the world.
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1. Inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus)
LD50: 0.025
We’ve finally reached our number one of the most venomous snakes in the world. That is the Inland Taipan, which inhabits central and east deserts and semi-arid areas of Australia. Inconspicuously colored in brownish and yellow hues, it does not give the impression of the deadliest snake in the world at the first sight. But, being threatened or not able to escape, it will vigorously attack. First, it will warn the intruder by curling up, making an S-shape with the upper part of its body, and then attack and bite often more than once during a single attack. Since it dwells in deserts, encounters with humans are not as often, but nevertheless, the bite outcome is almost always fatal.
