Venomous Snakes

Fun Facts About Venomous Snakes

• The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, reaching up to 18 feet. This reptile is also unique for building, guarding and maintaining a nest for its eggs — something almost no other snake does.
• Roughly speaking, there are 4,000 known snake species worldwide, but only 700 are venomous and just 225 can deliver a lethal bite to humans. That means the vast majority of snakes are completely harmless.
• Many venomous snakes deliver dry bites (meaning no venom is injected) on purpose. Up to 20–25% of pit viper bites, and 50% of coral snake bites, are dry. That's because venom is energetically expensive to produce, so they save it for real prey.
• Rattlesnakes famously make a warning sound with their tails. Saw-scaled vipers also give a warning. They rub their rough scales together to produce a raspy buzz and this is one warning you should heed. Because these aggresive vipers are responsible for more human deaths in the world than any other snake (up to 30,000 annually).
• The black mamba is one of the fastest and deadliest snakes, capable of speeds up to 12–14 mph in short bursts. It possesses a potent neurotoxic venom that can kill a human in as little as 20 minutes if untreated.
• Cottonmouths (or water moccasins) are venmous, semi-aquatic snakes that flash their bright white mouths as a dramatic warning display before striking. Hence the name "cottonmouth."
• In the U.S., you're far more likely to be struck by lightning than killed by a venomous snake. Thanks to modern medical care, only about 5 people die annually from snakebites, despite around 7,000 to 8,000 people being bitten.
• Venom from rattlesnakes, vipers and other snakes has led to life-saving medicines, including drugs for high blood pressure, blood clotting disorders, and even pain relief.