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India's Top 10 Venomous Snakes, Check List Here

India is home to some of the most venomous snakes in the world, including the Indian cobra, common krait, Russell's viper, saw-scaled viper, and king cobra. Here is a list of the top 10 venomous snakes in India.

India has a rich biodiversity, and snakes are an integral part of this diversity. There are over 300 species of snakes found in India, of which over 60 are venomous. Some of the most venomous snakes in the world are found in India, including the king cobra, Indian krait, and Russell's viper.

On a side note, India was often referred to as a "snake charmer country" because of its long history and tradition of snake charming. Snake Charming is a performance art in which a snake charmer appears to hypnotize a snake by playing a musical instrument. Let us now check the list of the top 10 most venomous snakes in India.

Top 10 Most Poisonous Snakes In India 1. King Cobra

The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world. It can grow up to 18 feet long. It is found in thick jungles, cool swamps, bamboo clusters and rainforests across India. They are highly carnivorous and they even prey on other snakes including the non-venomous rat snake, other cobras, kraits and small pythons.

King cobra venom is a neurotoxin. A bite from a king cobra can cause paralysis, respiratory failure, and death. They can kill a human within 30 minutes (without antivenom). One should reach the nearest hospital immediately.

2. Indian Krait

Indian Krait, also known as Common Krait is another highly venomous snake found in India. There are a total of 12 species and 5 sub-species of krait snakes in the world. They can kill a person within 45 minutes. Common Kraits are relatively small snakes, growing up to 3 feet long. They are often brown or black in colour, with lighter crossbands.

Common krait venom is also a neurotoxin. A bite from a common krait can cause paralysis, respiratory failure, and death.

3. Russell's Viper

Russell's viper is one of the most common and widespread venomous snakes in India. This venomous snake makes a sizzling noise before it attacks or bites. Their bite can kill a human within 45 minutes (without antivenom). Russell's vipers are nocturnal and can often be found inside camping equipment or automobiles, making them very dangerous. Russell's vipers are relatively large snakes, growing up to 6 feet long. They are often brown or black in colour, with lighter crossbands.

Russell's viper venom is a hemotoxin, which means that it destroys blood cells and tissues. A bite from a Russell's viper can cause severe pain, swelling, and bleeding. It can also lead to organ damage and death.

4. Saw-Scaled Viper

The Saw-Scaled Viper is one of the most venomous snakes in the world. It has the popular name of "little Indian viper". Saw-scaled vipers inhabit sandy areas, rocky habitats, soft soil, and scrublands. They prey on lizards, frogs, and various arthropods such as centipedes, large insects, and scorpions. Saw-scaled vipers are relatively small snakes, growing up to 2 feet long. They are often brown or black in colour, with a zig-zag pattern on their backs.

Saw-scaled viper venom is a hemotoxin. A bite from a saw-scaled viper can cause severe pain, swelling, and bleeding. It can also lead to organ damage and death.

5. Indian Cobra (Naja naja)

The Indian cobra is one of the most well-known and feared snakes in the world. There are different species of cobras in India, but this particular species accounts for the highest number of snake bites in the country. Indian cobras are relatively large snakes, growing up to 6 feet long. They are easily identified by their distinctive hood, which they flare when threatened.

Indian cobra venom is a neurotoxin, which means that it attacks the nervous system. A bite from an Indian cobra can cause paralysis, respiratory failure, and even death. Their snake bite can kill a person within 2 hours (without antivenom). One should reach the nearest hospital immediately.

6. Malabar Pit Viper

The Malabar pit viper is a venomous snake found in the Western Ghats of India. It is a highly adaptable snake and can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, plantations, and even urban areas. It is a nocturnal snake and is most active at night. One of the most unique things about the Malabar pit viper is its colour-changing ability. This ability is known as camouflage, and it helps the snake to blend in with its surroundings.

Malabar pit viper venom is hemotoxins. Both pit viper species can cause severe pain, swelling, and bleeding. A bite from these pit vipers can cause severe pain, swelling, and bleeding. It can also lead to organ damage and death.

7. Banded Krait

The banded krait is a venomous snake found in the coastal areas of India. It is a relatively small krait, growing up to 3 feet long. Can be easily recognized by its distinctive cross bands in black-yellowish colour. It feeds on the coral reefs of India and is mostly found underwater. This venomous snake is often confused with the eels.

Banded krait venom is a neurotoxin. A bite from a banded krait can cause paralysis, respiratory failure, and death.

8. Bamboo Pit Viper

The bamboo pit viper is a venomous snake that is mostly found in the mountainous regions of the Western Ghats in Southern India. It grows at a length of 2.5 feet. It lives in all arboreal habitats such as the vines, bushes, and bamboo of India. This venomous snake has a heat-sensing system. The snake detects infrared radiation from a warm-blooded animal, and the pit organ sends a signal to the snake's brain. The brain then interprets the signal and helps the snake to locate its prey.

Bamboo pit viper venom is a hemotoxin. A bite from a bamboo pit viper can cause severe pain, swelling, and bleeding. It can also lead to organ damage and death.

9. Hump-Nosed Pit Viper

Another pit viper species is the hump-nosed pit viper. It is a small but venomous snake that is usually active in the night and hunts in the early morning. The hump-nosed pit viper is a small but venomous snake found in thick forests, coffee plantations and hilly regions parts of South India. It is found in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and agricultural areas. Hump-nosed pit vipers are often brown or black in colour, with a distinctive hump on their noses.

Hump-nosed pit viper venom is a hemotoxin. A bite from a hump-nosed pit viper can cause severe pain, swelling, and bleeding. It can also lead to organ damage and death.

10. Andaman Pit Viper

The Andaman pit viper is a venomous snake found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is commonly known as Mangrove Pit Viper, Purple-spotted Pit Viper, and Shore Pit Viper. It is a nocturnal snake and is most active at night. It is a relatively small pit viper, growing up to 2 feet long. Andaman pit vipers are often green or brown in colour, with darker crossbands.

Andaman pit viper venom is a hemotoxin. While the venom of the Andaman pit viper is not usually fatal to humans, a bite from this species can lead to gangrene if not treated properly. Gangrene is a serious condition that can cause tissue death.

Also read: List of Top 10 Deadliest Snakes in the World

Woman Bitten By 'America's Most Dangerous Snake' At Zoo

The Cincinnati Zoo employee was bitten by the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, however no guests were hurt during the terrifying incident

The incident happened at an American zoo (

Image: FlickreviewR / Wikimedia Commons)

A woman has been bitten by a Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, known as North America's most venomous snake, at a zoo, it has been confirmed.

The Cincinnati Zoo employee didn't need anti-venom and was taken to the University of Cincinnati Hospital for treatment, the local fire service has confirmed. The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake is the "largest rattlesnake in the world and largest venomous snake in North America", the zoo said. It's bites can be deadly to humans, but such incidents are rare.

"No guests were ever at risk," the zoo reassured in its statement. The venom from this snake contains hemotoxins, which can cause tissue damage and prevent blood from clotting. According to National Geographic, the bites from this snake are "extremely painful,". The snake can grow up to eight feet long and weigh a hefty 10 lbs.

READ MORE: Helen Skelton announces drastic career change as she lands huge new TV role

Bites are rare but can be deadly (

Image:

Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Cincinnati Zoo explained: "The largest rattlesnake in the world and largest venomous snake in North America, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake seeks shelter in mammal and gopher tortoise burrows and uprooted trees. It plays an important role as a top predator in the food chain."

The zoo is well-known for its beloved gorilla Harambe, who was tragically killed after a young child fell into his exhibit. The incident caused public outrage and Harambe became a symbol online.

Emergency officials explained that Harambe, the 450-pound silverback western lowland gorilla, was shot because a tranquiliser gun would have taken too long to work. Despite not attacking the child, Harambe was shot.

Zoo Director Thane Maynard said: "We are heartbroken about losing Harambe, but a child's life was in danger and a quick decision had to be made by our Dangerous Animal Response Team," He added: "Our first response was to call the gorillas out of the exhibit. The two females complied, but Harambe did not. It is important to note that with the child still in the exhibit, tranquilizing the 450-pound gorilla was not an option. Tranquilizers do not take effect for several minutes and the child was in imminent danger. On top of that, the impact from the dart could agitate the animal and cause the situation to get much worse."

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to webhomepage@mirror.Co.Uk

Don't Be Scared Of Snakes!

In honor of Halloween, I wanted to focus on something that gives most of us the creeps — snakes!

I commonly hear that the only good snake is a dead one.

But remember, while these animals might seem scary, most are harmless and beneficial. Some common snakes such as the rat snake, corn snake, milk snake, or the garter snake eat destructive insect and rodent pests. King snakes eat other snakes including venomous ones; queen snakes eat crayfish; and hognose snakes eat toads. Some of the smaller snakes such as the red-bellied, ring-neck, worm, and brown snakes eat earthworms and soft-bodied insects such as grubs in the soil.

One of the most promising benefits of snakes is the use of their venom. Some of the compounds from their venom are used to treat cancer, prevent heart and stroke problems, Parkinson's disease, and many more health problems

Kentucky's diverse landscapes provide an ideal habitat for these often-maligned creatures.

The venomous snakes — https://kysnakes.Ca.Uky.Edu/venomous — ranging from the secretive copperhead and Western cottonmouth, aka water moccasin, to the pygmy rattlesnake and the graceful timber rattlesnake, are vital to the state's environment. They often go unnoticed, keeping populations of mice and other rodents in check. Numerous non-venomous snakes — https://kysnakes.Ca.Uky.Edu/nonvenomous — such as the common garter snake and the North American black racer thrive throughout the state.

The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment offers a comprehensive website, https://kysnakes.Ca.Uky.Edu/, to help you identify and learn more about snakes you may encounter around your home or farm.

A user-friendly interface allows you to pinpoint snake species based on its geographic location and unique characteristics. A snake's head shape, body structure or color patterns all offer clues to help with identification. Whether you find a snake while hiking through the woods or exploring your own backyard, this platform will help you fight fear with information.

Photographs and descriptions offer a visual encyclopedia for both venomous and non-venomous species in the region. If you come in close contact with a venomous snake, use caution and respect.

You may learn to appreciate them from a safe distance and admire them in their natural habitats.

The website details each snake's unique natural history and conservation status. With newfound knowledge, you may see snakes in a new, fresh light.

Visit the website at https://kysnakes.Ca.Uky.Edu/. For more information about Kentucky wildlife and other topics, contact the Madison County Cooperative Extension Service.

Source: Matthew Springer, assistant extension professor of wildlife management

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

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