How to Survive the Most Dangerous Snake Bites

The sharp, piercing pain came from out of nowhere. Your throat tightens as you stare down your attacker. The World Health Organization says snakes bite about five million people annually, causing 81,000 to 138,000 deaths. Your best chance of surviving these fatal bites is with antivenom, but you would need to identify what your potential killer is. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Here is our list of the top five deadliest snake bites. Knowing your enemy can help you survive. To avoid snake bites, be especially careful in places like sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and other developing or tropical countries they’re where up to 95% of snake bites happen. But there’s always an exception. And you’ll find this creature in Australia. The inland taipan’s color varies from brownish like green to a richer color, often called a dark tan. These broken chevron markings are its dark scales which grow on an angle. They can grow bigger, but these snakes average about 1.8 m (5.9 ft) long. The inland taipans venom contains a complex mix of toxins that paralyze muscles, inhibit breathing, cause hemorrhaging and blood vessels and tissue and damage muscles. The venom can kill a human in about 45 minutes because it acts so fast. Some people have died within 30 minutes. As the venom speeds through your body., don’t waste time trying to suck out the poison. Instead, try to be calm and roll over onto the recovery position. Staying there until you get medical help will keep your airway open and clear and you won’t choke on any fluid or vomit. Found in Southeast Asia, this colorful snake has alternating black and yellow bands down its body. These beautiful creatures can grow up to 1.8 m (5.9 ft). But its neurotoxic venom can cause severe brain damage. And during the Vietnam War, it killed hundreds of American soldiers. If you get bitten, it’s crucial to slow down the spread of the venom throughout your body. To do this, try to position yourself to keep wherever you were bitten lower than your heart. The king cobra is the largest venomous snake in the world and lives in South and Southeast Asia. Easily one of the most recognizable snakes. The olive green with the black and white bands on the trunk converges to the massive head. Their huge bodies usually grow about 3 to 4 m (10 to 13 ft) long. The venom contains paralysis inducing neurotoxins, and its bite spews a lot of venom into the victim. Even elephants die in a few hours after being bitten by a king cobra. And for us. Well, without treatment, we’ve got a 50 to 60% chance of dying. Use a clean, dry bandage to cover the bite. Try to use a pressure immobilization bandage if possible. Wrap the dressing tightly around the bite and wrap another bandage all around the limb so it stays still. The less you move, the less venom will spread through your system. Found in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, don’t let this 90 cm (35 in) viper fool you. Behind this small, pear-shaped head and reddish brown spotted body is one very aggressive snake. Its venom is not as lethal as the other snakes on this list. So why do scientists consider it to be one of the deadliest snakes? Well, it bites early and a lot. That’s why you should never try killing a snake. It will only increase your chances of getting bitten again. This resident of sub-Saharan Africa is the fastest snake in the world as it speeds along at up to 5.5 m/s (12.5 mph). The black mamba grows 2 to 3 m (6.5 to 10 ft) long and its skin varies from gray to dark brown with a grayish white underbelly. A black mamba can kill a human in less than 30 minutes. It’s known for using its lethal fangs to repeatedly stab its victims who can’t get away fast enough. To survive, you’ll need to get to a hospital right away. And now that you know what each of these deadly snakes looks like, you can tell the doctor which antivenom you need. And that could save your life. But how could you live through other vicious animal attacks? Don’t worry, we’ve got the perfect video for you. To be prepared and stay alive, keep watching How to Survive.