The most venomous snakes in the world – TOP 10 and TOP 100

Snakes have always been a source of fascination and fear for humans. Their slithering movements and reputation as cold-blooded predators have made them the subjects of countless myths and legends. However, there is a certain group of snakes that stands out for its particularly lethal nature: the venomous snakes. These fascinating creatures are capable of delivering a bite that can cause everything from intense pain to paralysis, organ failure, and even death. In this article, we will be exploring the most venomous snakes in the world, showcasing the top 10 and top 100 species that you definitely want to avoid encountering in the wild. So, get ready to delve into the dangerous and fascinating world of venomous snakes!

Which snake is the most venomous?

Such a question may not have a clear answer. There are many criteria to consider when making such a comparison. Frequently mentioned venomous snakes include the black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) and its ‘kiss of death‘, noted for its rapidly acting venom; several genera of cobras (Naja, Ophiophagus, Hemachatus, Boulengerina); one of the largest venomous snakes, the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah); or the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus).

What kind of snakes do we call venomous snakes?

Snakes that use venom to hunt prey and defend themselves are called venomous snakes. The venom injected during the bite kills the prey or at least poisons the attacker.

Venomous vs Poisonous

The key difference between venomous and poisonous lies in how the toxin is delivered to the body:

• Venomous animals inject venom through a bite, sting, or other sharp mechanism that breaks the skin, delivering toxins directly into the bloodstream (e.g., snakes, scorpions, bees)
• Poisonous organisms release toxins that must be ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin to cause harm (e.g., poison dart frogs, certain plants).

In short, venom is actively injected, while poison is passively encountered. Some animals can be both venomous and poisonous, like the Asian Tiger snake, which can inject venom and also have poisonous toxins on its skin.

How many venomous snakes are there in the world?

Of the more than 3,971 species of snakes known worldwide, significantly more than the often rumored 10% are venomous. It is assumed that more than 600 snakes are venomous. The complete families Elapidae (including cobras, mambas, and sea snakes) and Viperidae (vipers and pit vipers), as well as the subfamily Atractaspidinae (mole vipers and burrowing asps), are proven to be venomous.

There are currently estimated to be more than 600 species of venomous snakes, including approximately 321 species of vipers and around 22 species in the subfamily Atractaspidinae (mole vipers). The families Elapidae and Viperidae, as well as the subfamily Atractaspidinae, exclusively contain venomous snakes. Beyond these entirely venomous families, an estimated total of around 700 venomous snake species exist worldwide, including certain members of other families like the boomslang (Dispholidus typus) from the Colubridae family.

The World Health Organization identifies 109 species as having high medical significance to humans, with another 142 species considered of lesser or uncertain importance, predominantly found in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia, and in Australia.

Are those snakes truly most venomous?

Certainly, every one of those snakes is extremely dangerous. The King cobra (the world’s largest venomous snake – 5.7 m (18 ft 8 in)), the Black mamba (Africa’s longest venomous snake – 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)), or members of the Pit viper subfamily (Crotalinae) are often cited. These are sizeable snakes, capable of injecting large amounts of venom in a single bite. Every one of them can easily kill a person, and a single bite could potentially deliver a lethal dose of toxin for several people.

Lethal dose

While preparing this comparison, we decided to focus on the so-called Lethal Dose (LD; Latin: dosis lethalis, DL). In the case of snake venom, the LD value is a standard measure of its toxicity.

The LD value indicates the amount of a substance, per unit of body weight of the tested animal (typically expressed in milligrams per kilogram, mg/kg), that is necessary to cause death in a certain percentage of a tested animal population – LDx. The X marks the percentage of venomous bites resulting in animals` deaths. The most commonly used metric is the LD₅₀, which is the dose required to kill 50% of the tested animals.

LD₅₀

In the analysis of toxic substances, the most commonly used value is the LD₅₀ (median lethal dose). This is the dose that resulted in the death of 50% of the tested specimens. These studies are most commonly conducted on mice.

To sum up – the recognized LD₅₀ value represents the dose causing a 50% mortality rate among mice, typically those weighing around 20 g. In short – it is the minimum portion of venom necessary to kill a mouse.

One must remember that LD₅₀ indicates the amount of venom needed to kill (per body weight), which is not equal to the total amount of venom a snake can inject. In fact, many snakes can inject significantly more venom than the calculated lethal dose for a small test animal. Consequently, the total amount of venom from the most dangerous snakes could kill more than one person. In the case of the world’s most venomous snake, based on calculated potential, this amount could theoretically be lethal to even 289 people!

There are four common methods by which the median lethal dose (LD50) is measured:

• LD_SC – Subcutaneous: Venom is injected into the fatty layer beneath the skin
• LD_IV – Intravenous: Venom is injected directly into a vein
• LD_IM – Intramuscular: Venom is injected into a muscle
• LD_IP – Intraperitoneal: Venom is injected into the abdominal cavity

The most commonly used methods for testing snake venom toxicity are subcutaneous and intravenous injections in mice.

Which snake is the most venomous snake in the world?

Inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) – the world’s most venomous snake

The title of the world’s most venomous snake belongs to the inland taipan, which inhabits the deserts of Australia.

The median lethal dose LD₅₀ of the inland taipan’s venom is merely 0.025 mg/kg for mice. This means that a single bite, allowing it to inject up to 100 mg of venom, is enough to kill over 100 adult people. The venom needs 45 minutes to take effect. If we are able to apply a serum by that time, we will live. The problem is that being bit in the middle of an Australian desert one does not always carry the antidote by chance.

The comparison below covers the most venomous snakes in the world. Among others, the table holds the Valakadyn sea snake (Enhydrina schistosa), one of the most venomous sea snakes, plus the most venomous snake of the seas – Dubois` sea snake (Aipysurus duboisii).

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Top 10 & Top 100

The most venomous snakes in the world

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