# top 10 most dangerous snakes



## colooch (May 9, 2009)

I was recently having a discussion with mate about the top 10 most dangerous snakes in the world, he does not think Australia is home to more than half of the top10. so can anyone name the top 10 most dangerous snakes in the world?


----------



## dscot60 (May 9, 2009)

i cant name all of them but steve irwin did a documentry on te top ten deadlist snakes in the world and according to the doc all of the ten are in australia


----------



## Cabotinage (May 9, 2009)

all of them? i dont think all 10 are in australia.


----------



## dscot60 (May 9, 2009)

yeh the ten are in australia acording to him and this site i found

*The 10 deadliest snakes in the world*

*1- Inland taipan, or fierce snake *
*2 - Eastern common brown snake *
*3 - Taipan *
*4 - Eastern tigersnake *
*5 - Revesby Island tigersnake *
*6 - Beaked sea snake *
*7 - Western Australian tigersnake *
*8 - Chappel Island tigersnake *
*9 - Death adder *
*10 - Australian copperhead *


----------



## colooch (May 9, 2009)

im pretty sure the black mamba and some kind of viper are in the top 10


----------



## woosang (May 9, 2009)

it depends on how you measure deadly. The most venomous? The most likely to kill you..the ones that kill instantly but you never see near people.. the most common near people?? this was a discussion on the ABC on Thursday as well. Funny...


----------



## woosang (May 9, 2009)

from Manbir online you get this list
List of *Deadliest Snakes *in the world as per their ranking : - *1)  Fierce*  *Snake *or *Inland Taipan*  (_Oxyuranus microlepidotus _), Australia. The most toxic venom of any snake. Maximum yield recorded (for one bite) is 110mg. That would porbably be enough to kill over 100 people or 250,000 mice. These rare snakes are vitually unknown in collections outside of Australia.
*2) Australian Brown Snake* (_Pseudonaja textilis_ ), Australia. One 1/14,000 of an ounce of this vemon is enough to kill a person. 
*3) Malayan* *Krait* (_Bungarus candidus _), Southeast Asia and Indonesia. 50% of the bites from this snake are fatal even with the use of antivenin treatment. 
*4) Taipan* (_Oxyuranus scutellatus_ ), Australia. The venom delivered in a single Taipan bite is enough to kill up to 12,000 guinea pigs. 
*5) Tiger Snake* (_Notechis scutatus_ ), Australia.* 
6) Beaked Sea Snake* (_Enhydrina schistosa_ ), South Asian waters Arabian Sea to Coral Sea..
*7)* *Saw Scaled* *Viper* (_Echis carinatus_ ), Middle East Asia.
*8)* *Coral Snake* (_Micrurus fulvius _), North America.
*9) Boomslang* (_Dispholidus typus _), Africa. 
*10) Death Adder* (_Acanthopis antarcticus _), Australia and New Guinea. 
*11) Black Mamba, both species of Green Mambas, and the Mojave Rattlesnake.*

There are many factors that influence the seriousness of a bite. The factors include the individual’s health, size, age, and psychological state. The nature of the bite may also vary, like penetration of one or both fangs, amount of venom injected , location of the bite , and proximity to major blood vessels. The health of the snake and the interval since it last used its venom mechanism is also important. These multiple variables make every bite unique. Depending on circumstances, the bite of a “mildly” venomous snake may be life-threatening and that of a “strongly” venomous snake may not.


----------



## colooch (May 9, 2009)

Thanks woosang Ive been looking it up on the net and found that the top 10 can differ depending on a number of things,if not toxic you could say anaconda's and other big constrictors would be up there! i guess my mate and I were never clear on the question that we were asking!


----------



## woosang (May 9, 2009)

Yeah an Anaconda would be deadly if it decided u were lunch..


----------



## dscot60 (May 9, 2009)

yeh well some snake will inject more venom into wat it bite like a mulga injects large amount of venom there are a hell of a lot of factors to consider so neither of use are entirly right or wrong


----------



## theduclos (May 9, 2009)

woosang said:


> Yeah an Anaconda would be deadly if it decided u were lunch..



lol, all the anti venom in the world wont stop an anaconda squeezing you to death.


----------



## colooch (May 10, 2009)

yeah, it would be a nasty way to go! i would rather face a great white at least you have some chance of living, maybe without a leg or arm but it would make a good story for the grandkids.


----------



## DanTheMan (May 10, 2009)

dscot60 said:


> yeh the ten are in australia acording to him and this site i found
> 
> *The 10 deadliest snakes in the world*
> 
> ...



Lol there's no way copperheads are in the global top 10!


----------



## dscot60 (May 10, 2009)

yeh idk im just goin on by what the site that i went on said tht is just copied and pasted


----------



## Australis (May 10, 2009)

http://www.venomsupplies.com/toxicity/


----------



## scorps (May 10, 2009)

It depends on what you call the most deadliest,

IMO if the list is the most venemouse to mice then yes inland tiapans are on the top, if it was most venemous to mice then I beleive a red belly would most probably be higher, but then again if you counted the most dangerous then black mamba would be alo higher and so would cobra becuase they account for alot more deaths, I personaly believe the most dangerous snake in australia to be the coastal tiapan, yes it may be third on the list of venom but they are alot more common in tropical australia unlike thier cousins the inland tiapan, also as most people that have handled browns and tiapans would no, browns imo are alot easier to control on a hook and dont fly around as fas (once again imo).

So it basicly comes down to what you consider dangerous.


----------



## MrsDragonLady (May 10, 2009)

I found this link if anyone wants to check it out:

http://kalyan-city.blogspot.com/2008/07/worlds-top-10-most-poisonous-venomous.html

it also has video clips on Australia's deadliest snakes

plus - Snake Facts, Records For General Knowledge.


----------



## julia (May 10, 2009)

Copperheads are most definitely in the top 10. The list varies depending on which one you are looking at, but copperhead is always there. I always tell people they come in at number 8, because that was probably where it was on the first list I every saw many years ago.


----------



## $NaKe PiMp (May 10, 2009)

these threads pop up all the time,the top 10 most *NEUROTOXIC* are australian as measured LD50 on mice ,as we are mammals also it is supposed to represent similar effect to humans but how can we be sure unless we measure LD50 on humans

australian snakes account for very few deaths,although in papua taipans and death adders kill quite a few people but the figures are not known
tens of thousands of people die in asia and across the world from the effects of snake bite


----------



## DanTheMan (May 10, 2009)

julia said:


> Copperheads are most definitely in the top 10. The list varies depending on which one you are looking at, but copperhead is always there. I always tell people they come in at number 8, because that was probably where it was on the first list I every saw many years ago.



Australia's top 10 maybe, but not the world top 10, they're nothing.


----------



## eipper (May 10, 2009)

HI all,
The following is from research conducted by Bryan Fry, this list is different to the widely published list from Sutherland et al due to the mis -understanding of it.

Sutherland's list contained 20 Australian species with 3 exotic controls (_Naja naja_ (but may of been _N. kaouthia_ this name was only generally accepted in the late 80's), _Crotalus adamanteus_ and _Ophiophagus hannah_), this why Australia is so often misquoted as having the top 10 most toxic snakes on the planet.

It should also be mentioned that the tissue that the venom is injected into can change the effective toxicity of the venom. As the fang length and bite angle varies dependant upon both species and individual size this may make a different revelevant analysis. For example, it would be highly unlikey for a small fanged species such as _Pseudonaja textilis_ to inject venom at the same site as _Bitis gaboonica_ which can have fangs over 45mm in length....a Gabby would most likely give an intramuscular bite as opposed to a sub cutaneous bite and vice versa.


Cheers,
Scott Eipper

I have put the Australian species in bold

*The following is taken from Bryan Fry's Website*


*Sub-cutaneous LD-50s*
*Scientific name* *Common name* *LD-50 (mg/kg)* 
*Notes*
_*Oxyuranus microlepidotus*_Inland taipan0.025Formerly known as fierce snake or small-scaled snake
_*Pseudonaja textilis*_Eastern brown snake0.0365
_*Aipysurus duboisii*_Dubois's sea snake0.044
_*Pelamis platurus*_Yellow bellied sea snake0.067
_*Acalyptophis peronii*_Horned sea snake0.079
_*Oxyuranus scutellatus*_Coastal taipan0.106_Oxyuranus scutellatus canni_ (Papua New Guinea taipan) should be considered as having the same venom composition until proven otherwise
_Bungarus multicinctus_Many banded krait0.108
_*Hydrophis melanosoma*_Black banded sea snake0.111
_*Enhydrina schistosa*_Beaked sea snake0.1125
_Boulengeria christyi_Congo water cobra0.12
_*Notechis a. niger*_Peninsula tiger snake0.131
_Boulengeria annulata_Banded water cobra0.143
_Echis carinatus_Saw-scaled viper0.151Species complex, geographical data not given
_Hydrophis stricticollis_sea snake species0.164
_*Hydrophis major*_Olive-headed sea snake0.193
_*Notechis a. occidentalis*_Western tiger snake0.194
_Crotalus tigris_Tiger rattlesnake0.21
_*Notechis scutulatus*_Mainland tiger snake0.214
_*Hydrophis elegans*_Elegant sea snake0.26
_*Aipysurus laevis*_Olive sea snake0.264
_Laticauda semifasciata_Broad banded sea krait0.273
_Naja atra_Chinese cobra0.29
_Dendroaspis polylepsis_Black mamba0.32
*Notechis a. serventyiChapel* island tiger snake0.338
_Hydrophis nigrocinctus_Duadin's sea snake0.343
_Crotalus scututatus_ Mojave green rattlesnake0.34 
_Bungarus caeruleus_Indian krait0.365
_Walterinnesia aegyptia_Desert cobra0.4
_*Laticauda colubrina*_Wide faced sea krait0.435
_Naja naja_Spectacled cobra0.45Careful - any Asiatic cobra may have been referred to as _N. naja_ in the past
_Hydrophis cyanocinctus_Annulated sea snake0.464
_*Pseudonaja nuchalis*_Gwardar/Western brown snake0.473Species complex
_*Acanthophis antarcticus*_Common death adder0.5Species complex, geographical data not indicated
_*Austrelaps superbus*_Lowland copperhead0.5
_*Lapemis hardwickii*_Hardwicke's sea snake0.541
_*Pseudonaja affinis*_Dugite0.66
_Dendroaspis viridis_Western green mamba0.7
_Naja nivea_Cape cobra0.72
_Daboia russelli russelli_Russell's viper subspecies0.75
_Dendroaspis jamesoni_Jameson's mamba1
_*Pseudechis papuanus*_Papuan black snake1.09
_Naja haje_Egyptian cobra1.15Give locality - southern African forms now regarded as separate species, _N. annulifera_
_Micrurus fulvius_coral snake sp.1.3
_*Hoplocephalus stephensi*_Stephen's banded snake1.36
_Daboia russelii formosensis_Russell's viper subspecies1.37Synonym of _D.r. siamensis_, locality info lacking
_Ophiophagus hannah_King cobra1.7Give locality, this species is about to be split
_*Pseudechis australis*_Mulga snake1.94
_*Pseudechis porphyriacus*_Red-bellied black snake2
_*Pseudechis guttatus*_Spotted black snake2.13
_*Pseudechis colletti*_Collett's snake2.38
_Hemachatus haemachatus_Rinkhals2.65
_*Cryptophis nigrescens*_Small eyed snake2.67
_Crotalus basciliscus_Mexican west-coast rattlesnake2.8
_Dendroaspis angusticeps_Eastern green mamba3.05
_Crotalus horridus horridus_Timber rattlesnake3.1
_Bungarus fasciatus_Banded krait3.6
_Vipera latifii_True viper species4.61
_Tropidolaemus wagleri_Wagler's viper6.19Formerly in _Trimeresurus_ genus
_Vipera bornmuelleri_True viper species6.25
_Vipera berus_Adder6.45
_Vipera ammodytes_Long-nosed viper6.59
_Bothrops jararaca_Jararaca7
_Trimeresurus gramineus_Indian green tree viper8.6_T. gramineus_ is a rare species, most venoms thus labelled in the literature come from other species
_Deinagkistrodon acutus_Sharp-nosed pit viper9.2Fomerly in _Agkistrodon_ genus
_Vipera palaestinae_Palestine viper9.4
_Crotalus exul_rattlesnake species9.92
_Bitis gabonica_Gaboon viper12.5
_Trimeresurus albolabris_White lipped tree viper12.75
_Bothrops jararacussu_Jararacussu'13
_Crotalus polystictus_Mexican blotched rattlesnake13.3
_Bothrops neuwiedi_Jararaca pintada14.2
_Crotalus adamanteus_Eastern diamondback rattlesnake14.6
_Causus rhombeatus_Night adder15
_Cerastes cerastes_Desert horned viper15
_Bothrops alternatus_Urutu15.8
_Macrovipera lebetina_Levantine viper16Specimens from N. Africa are referrable to _M. mauretanica_
_Crotalus atrox_Western diamondback rattlesnake18.5
_Gloydius blomhoffi_Mamushi20
_Bothrops atrox_Terciopelo22Species complex, geographical origin not given
_Calloselasma rhodostoma_Malayan pit viper23.4Fomerly in _Agkistrodon_ genus.
_Crotalus lepidus klauberi_Rock rattlesnake23.95
_Sistrurus milarius barbouri_Red pygmy rattlesnake24.3
_*Emydocephalus annulatus*_Turtle-headed sea snake25
_Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix_Southern copperhead25.6
_Agkistrodon piscovorus_Cottomouth/ Water moccasin25.8
_Bothriechis schlegelii_Eyelash viper33.2Formerly in _Bothrops_ genus
_Lachesis muta_Bushmaster36.9Give locality, as _L. muta_ recently split into 3 species
_*Demansia olivacea*_Olive whip snake714.2


----------



## mrmikk (May 10, 2009)

Dangerous/Deadliest and most venomous, two different terms and shouldn't be confused.

The deadliest ten snakes is a list made up of those snake which have caused the most human deaths, hence the term deadly.

The most venomous ten (land) snakes is a list usually compiled based on the LD50 test, which measure a snake's venom toxicity.

You will find the Russel's Viper, _Daboia russelli_ and Saw-scaled Viper, _Echis carinatus_, are considered the most deadly due to the high number of human fatalities they cause within their respective ranges.

The world's most venomous land snake is the Inland Taipan, _Oxyuranus microlepidotus_ however there has been no recorded human fatalities caused by this snake.

This is a fairly commonly debated topic, you'll find a fairly recent one here:
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes/australias-most-deadly-snakes-75001


----------



## waruikazi (May 10, 2009)

IMO Australia does not have any of the most dangerous snakes in the world. There is no doubt we have the most venomous but your chances of surviving a snake bite in australia is way better than all developing countries. IMO the saw scale viper is the most dangerous, it claims upto 40 000 people a year from memory.


----------



## KingSirloin (May 10, 2009)

For Sydney residents, TVS Tuesday 12th at midday and Thursday 14th at 4.30pm, Deadly Australians - Arid and Wetlands.

I watched it on Saturday and it was fantastic.

There are two more episodes too, Urban and Forest.


----------



## cockney red (May 10, 2009)

The most dangerous snake in the world is the one that just bit you...


----------



## GSXR_Boy (May 10, 2009)

cockney red said:


> The most dangerous snake in the world is the one that just bit you...


 
Or the old trouser snake. I think that has caused more trouble worldwide than any venomous ones.


----------



## cockney red (May 10, 2009)

GSXR_Boy said:


> Or the old trouser snake. I think that has caused more trouble worldwide than any venomous ones.


That! Josh, is for sure...haha


----------



## oreo1 (May 10, 2009)

heard that the most toxic snake in the world is the faint banded sea snake found in the pacific ocean :shock: its still quite scary that most if not all the top ten most venemos are found in australia


----------



## redbellybite (May 10, 2009)

scorps said:


> It depends on what you call the most deadliest,
> 
> IMO if the list is the most venemouse to mice then yes inland tiapans are on the top, if it was most venemous to mice then I beleive a red belly would most probably be higher, but then again if you counted the most dangerous then black mamba would be alo higher and so would cobra becuase they account for alot more deaths, I personaly believe the most dangerous snake in australia to be the coastal tiapan, yes it may be third on the list of venom but they are alot more common in tropical australia unlike thier cousins the inland tiapan, also as most people that have handled browns and tiapans would no, browns imo are alot easier to control on a hook and dont fly around as fas (once again imo).
> 
> So it basicly comes down to what you consider dangerous.








YEAH this one was such a well behaved pussy cat scorps:lol::lol:
Eastern Browns are encounted by more people Australia wide then a coastal Taipan ..
Eastern Browns SHOULD NOT BE put on the "she'll be right mate " list EVER!


----------



## DanTheMan (May 10, 2009)

I agree with RedBelly, Taipans are no where near as common and their range is much smaller than Eastern Browns.
Although i have never handled a Taipan, I'm sure it would be a bit more work than a Brown


----------



## cockney red (May 10, 2009)

redbellybite said:


> YEAH this one was such a well behaved pussy cat scorps:lol::lol:
> Eastern Browns are encounted by more people Australia wide then a coastal Taipan ..
> Eastern Browns SHOULD NOT BE put on the "she'll be right mate " list EVER!


In my geographicaly limited experience, i agree wholeheartedly, i cannot perceive of a more dangerous snake anywhere, than a Eastern Brown.


----------



## colooch (May 10, 2009)

A bite from a snake can be fatal if no anti venom is given, but a constrictor squeezing the life out you and you ending up in its stomach is much scarier, im sure there would be more than 10 different constrictors that could eat you! so my opinion i think they would be far more dangerous by a mile.


----------



## Mayhem (May 10, 2009)

woosang said:


> from Manbir online you get this list
> List of *Deadliest Snakes *in the world as per their ranking : - *1) Fierce* *Snake *or *Inland Taipan* (_Oxyuranus microlepidotus _), Australia. The most toxic venom of any snake. Maximum yield recorded (for one bite) is 110mg. That would porbably be enough to kill over 100 people or 250,000 mice. These rare snakes are vitually unknown in collections outside of Australia.
> *2) Australian Brown Snake* (_Pseudonaja textilis_ ), Australia. One 1/14,000 of an ounce of this vemon is enough to kill a person.
> *3) Malayan* *Krait* (_Bungarus candidus _), Southeast Asia and Indonesia. 50% of the bites from this snake are fatal even with the use of antivenin treatment.
> ...


 

That list also takes into account human contact by the looks of things too....


----------



## Reptile_Boy (May 10, 2009)

just ask sdaji


----------



## Goodoo (May 10, 2009)

I am suprised by the Coral snake in North America. When I worked in Arizona we had a hayshed full of them. The Mexicans were **** scared and ran away whenever they saw one. One pommy bloke was sure they were harmless and would pick them up to scare the Mexicans. I kept clear, but was not as worried as the Mexicans. I did find out later that they were poisenous but I thought there fangs were short and they were not agresive.


----------



## cockney red (May 12, 2009)

colooch said:


> A bite from a snake can be fatal if no anti venom is given, but a constrictor squeezing the life out you and you ending up in its stomach is much scarier, im sure there would be more than 10 different constrictors that could eat you! so my opinion i think they would be far more dangerous by a mile.


:shock::shock::shock::lol::lol::lol:


----------



## Jonno from ERD (May 12, 2009)

It's a question that can't be answered really...it depends on what you're referring to. For someone experienced with handling venomous snakes, Eastern Browns are quite predictable and easy to handle. I am more wary catching wild Tiger Snakes and Rough Scales than I am of Eastern Browns. Coastal Taipans are arguably the most dangerous snake for an experienced handler to deal with though.


----------



## snakes_666 (May 12, 2009)

I found this link from avru 

http://www.avru.org/general/general_mostvenom.html


----------



## flood (May 12, 2009)

A coastal tia in my view is the most dangerous because of there size,venom and they are very smart snakes but an eastern brown on a hot day is all so very dangerous.


----------



## BJC-787 (May 15, 2009)

waruikazi said:


> IMO Australia does not have any of the most dangerous snakes in the world. There is no doubt we have the most venomous but your chances of surviving a snake bite in australia is way better than all developing countries. IMO the saw scale viper is the most dangerous, it claims upto 40 000 people a year from memory.




but what if they had a snake with the venom of the inland taipan than it would probably kill a million people a year because of the lack of first aid.


----------



## Davey (Aug 4, 2009)

Most venomous is supposedly the Belcher Snake (Hydrophis Belcheri) but there seems to be a bit of confusion between venomous, deadliest and dangerous and that poisonous is something different altogether.

Although the most venomous is the Belcher snake, it doesn't feature in the Top 10 Deadliest or Dangerous. A few mention that it is because of the limited encounters with humans.

So when deciding on the most venomous, deadliest, dangerous what is the criteria used? Is the most venomous necessarily the most deadly or dangerous?

Venomous sounds to me like the toxicity regardless of the amount injected. I suppose you could measure in deaths per milligram. For example a particular sea snake may be venomous but is not as dangerous because of it's inability to inject the venom due to the size of and position of it's fangs. 

Is Deadliest the probability of death? For example a Krait, King Cobra, Viper might kill more people due to population densities but the Taipan or Fierce snake heads the list.

And Dangerous might take into account total deaths. A mix of the chance that you may get bitten with the probability that you will die. Or is the most Dangerous or Deadly the same?

It seems that they could have a Top 10 each of their own and that every website I look at has a slightly different top ten.


David.


----------

