Top 10 deadliest snakes in the world

pitbulllady

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A user submitted a guide detailing the top 10 deadliest snakes in the world to my website today. Feedback (and comments on accuracy!) appreciated guys :)

http://www.reptileexpert.org/deadliest-snakes/
The problem with that list is that it only takes into account ONE factor in determining the "deadliness" of a snake species, and that is the LD50 test. There are many other things that must be considered, including proximity of this species to humans, volume of venom typically injected, venom-delivery system, and overall tendency of snakes of a given species to actually bite. The snake with the highest LD50 rating, the Inland Taipan or "Fierce Snake", has no known human fatalities associated with it, since it only lives in a very remote and inhospitable part of the Australian outback and rarely comes into contact with humans, plus despite its name, it is actually a very mild-mannered and slow-to-provoke animal, probably because it is the apex predator in its natural environment and has not evolved a highly-defensive nature to protect itself from larger carnivores. As the late Steve Irwin put it, "if you get tagged by a Fierce Snake, you were TRYING to get tagged by a Fierce Snake"! If you want to try your luck at free-handling a highly venomous snake, I guess this would be a good candidate. There are so few Coral Snake envenomations that production of antivenin for this species has ceased, as it is not financially viable to produce it. The species responsible for the most human fatalities, the Russel's Viper, isn't even listed. Nat Geo aired a show a few years ago, which covered this same topic, but they did take into account other things besides LD50, including the typical disposition of a species and its proximity to humans, two factors which cannot be ignored. The popular False Water Cobra, incidentally, has the same LD50 as a Western Diamondback Rattler, the species responsible for the most human fatalities in the US, but no known fatalities associated with it, because it is a fairly placid snake(except at feeding time, when these go completely mental)and has a poor venom delivery system and small venom yield.

pitbulllady
 

The Snark

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Wrong termonology

The title should read Top 10 deadliest snake venoms. The top 4 'deadliest', Cobra x 2, Krait and Russells are up there because of proximity to humans. That is to say, these snakes cause more deaths because they are constantly under foot and the often remote locations where medical help may be hours or days away. If, as one example, one were to place the King Brown and Aus. Black in Northern India you would have dozens, probably hundreds of deaths each day.

As pittbulllady pointed out, venom toxicity is only one factor. The tried and true test must always fall back on the MMMO - Means (toxicity), Method (of delivery), Motivation and Opportunity.

Here is a perfect example. According to the All Things Cat rules, the deadliest snake in the world is any cobra. While most cobra bites to humans do not result in death, the combination of the cat and the cobra creates a 'perfect storm' situation. The cat's innate curiosity and the cobra always raising up and waving in the air which few cats can resist. All MMMO factors are present.
 
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catfishrod69

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im by far a snake expert but i believe that ScorpDude is right, because those are the top ten deadliest snakes, (if you were to get bit by them)...the proximity to humans should mean absolutely nothing in this, because the potency of their venom is there wether humans exist or not...just my $0.02
 

ShadowBlade

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I think as long as its 'most venomous', that should be a pretty good list. Using the term 'deadliest' COULD be interpretated as the above are stating.. but I think that's just splitting hairs. Because when I think of the world's most deadliest animal, I don't think of mosquitoes. People will always try to get technical to show they can find 'something wrong' with your information.

-Sean
 

The Snark

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I am going to have to disagree with the dissenters. IF you get tagged by X, Y or Z you will be... is theory and conjecture going the the single fact supported by the LD50. Well, you won't receive a few micrograms from a King Cobra, it delivers the sauce by the cupful. You will certainly be a candidate for death if you get tagged by the sea snake, but you will probably have to assist it since it's mouth is tiny and it doesn't want to have anything to do with you. Stick your hand down the wrong hole and you get a sampling of krait venom. Possibly until you physically detach it because they aren't too swift at letting go and keep on pumping the venom in. For some obscure reason, the krait and some others haven't read the LD50 tests and like to give a few extra doses.

This deadliest venom thing is a farce. My .444 is way high up the ballistic equivalent of the LD50 but the 45 grain bullet of the .223 has killed far more people. If you wish to be strictly accurate the heading should read The Top Ten of the Potentially Deadliest Snakes, providing the MMMO is present. However, disregarding the top four people killers slants and skews that entire piece into media flash and splash tripe.

Deadiest defined: To cause death. Not the most capable or most lethal of causing but to actually produce an end result. Terminologies.
 
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