The Deadliest Snake on Every Continent in the World

Written by Niccoy Walker
Updated: October 12, 2023
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Snakes are one of the earth’s creatures you either love or hate. Some are fascinated with their behavior and movements, while others run in fear at the sight (or sound). Regardless of your opinion on these reptiles, some species are hazardous to humans, and you must take the utmost caution in their territory.

All snakes are cold-blooded reptiles, so they must regulate their body temperature using ambient temperatures provided by the sun. Most snakes are covered in scales that allow for ease of movement and also help prevent dehydration. Our planet is home to more than 4,000 species of snakes. They come in all sizes, can thrive in a wide range of environmental conditions, and make themselves at home on every major landmass in the world (except one)!

Discover the deadliest snake on every continent in the world, including their habitats and fatality rates. Also, can you guess which continent doesn’t have any snakes? 

North America

Large eastern diamondback rattlesnake

The Eastern diamondback

rattlesnake

is the deadliest snake in North America.

©Chase D’animulls/Shutterstock.com

The Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake causes more deaths in North America than any other species — even though the Mojave rattlesnake and coral snakes’ venom are more toxic. Its venom is highly potent, and the snake delivers up to 300mg of venom in a single bite. Between 7,000 and 8,000 people are bitten yearly by venomous snakes in the US, and nearly 2,000 of those are from rattlesnakes. If left untreated, a diamondback rattlesnake bite has a 10% to 30% mortality rate (depending on which study you cite). 

Eastern rattlesnake bites are treatable with anti-venom, and only 1% of bites are fatal with treatment. However, rattlesnakes cause disabilities and permanent injuries in 10% to 44% of all envenomations. You will mainly find these snakes in the southeastern United States, from North Carolina to the Florida Keys and west along the Gulf Coast. They inhabit many habitats, from pine forests, Flatwoods, sandhills, marshes, swamps, and woodlands. These snakes like to take over burrows, so don’t stick your hand in gopher holes during the summer and winter! 

South America

Fer-de-lance

The Fer-De-Lance is the

deadliest snake in South America

.

©David Havel/Shutterstock.com

The Fer-De-Lance is the deadliest snake in South America. Its venom is hemotoxic and highly potent, with enough injected in each bite to kill at least 32 people. This snake causes more deaths than any other in the Americas.

Symptoms from their bites begin within 15 minutes, causing severe pain, swelling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, and necrosis. If left untreated, the mortality rate is up to 9% and can cause the loss of limbs from severe necrosis.

Anti-venom is available, but time is of the essence with this incredibly deadly snake. This species likes wet environments, often inhabiting tropical rainforests and deciduous forests. 

Europe

An aggressive male nose-horned viper on a rock ( Vipera ammodytes ). Males have a background of gray or brown scales with a pattern of dark brown or black zigzags running down its back.

The nose-horned viper is the deadliest

snake in Europe

.

©iStock.com/taviphoto

The nose-horned viper is the most dangerous snake in Europe. This venomous viper has long, giant fangs and high toxicity; it is a significant medical risk in some areas.

Its venom contains proteolytic, neurotoxin, and hemotoxin properties, similar to and as powerful as the pit viper species. When bitten, humans develop immediate symptoms, such as pain, swelling, discoloration, dizziness, and tingling. Fortunately, a nose-horned viper bite is rarely fatal with proper (and prompt) medical care. 

You can find this viper in southern Europe, mainly northern Italy, the Balkans, and the Middle East. People often call this snake a “sand viper,” but it primarily inhabits dry, rocky hillsides with little vegetation. It’s rare to find them near human habitations, but occasionally one can hide under rubble near railways, farmlands, and vineyards. 

Africa

puff adder with tongue out

The puff adder is the deadliest snake in

Africa

.

©iStock.com/S_Lew

The puff adder is the deadliest snake in Africa, causing the most snakebite fatalities on the continent. Its venom is potent enough to kill four to five men and has a 52% mortality rate if left untreated. Its large hinged front fangs deeply penetrate the skin, injecting the toxins deep into your body, causing immediate pain and swelling.

Death from a puff adder bite is rare and usually occurs due to poor medical care or secondary infections. Like most highly venomous snake bites, time is of the essence.

This species is one of the most widespread throughout Africa, inhabiting many countries and habitats, from the Sub-Saharan to the Cape of Good Hope. It is most closely associated with rocky grasslands, but you may find it in any habitat except rainforests, true deserts, and alpine habitats. 

Asia

Coiled saw-scaled viper

The

saw-scaled viper

is the deadliest snake in Asia and the world.

©Dushan Muthunayake/Shutterstock.com

The saw-scaled viper causes more fatalities than any other snake in Asia. In fact, it causes more deaths than any other snake in the world. It envenomates 75% of all bite victims, with a mortality rate of 20%. Further, it kills around 5,000 people in India each year.

This snake is extremely defensive and bites early and often. Thankfully, there are at least nine types of anti-venom for a saw-scaled viper bite, and immediate medical care lessens the death rate to less than ten percent (still very high). 

This small venomous snake inhabits arid regions and dry savannas in southwest Asia, mainly India and Sri Lanka. However, you can also find this deadly snake in parts of Africa and Arabia. Their habitats are wide-ranging, including deserts, rainforests, deciduous forests, grasslands, and scrublands. 

Australia

An Eastern Brown Snake, Coiled For A strike

The Eastern

brown snake

is the deadliest in Australia.

©Ken Griffiths/Shutterstock.com

The Eastern brown snake is the most dangerous snake in Australia, causing 60% of snakebite fatalities. However, their venom is only the second most toxic of any Australian snake. The title of most toxic venom goes to the inland Taipan — a remarkably shy and non-aggressive snake, which has only caused a handful of known deaths.

Australia’s eastern brown snake gets listed as the deadliest because it bites many people every year.

Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, kidney injury, and seizures. In severe cases, people can develop hypotension, significant hemorrhage (bleeding), and cardiac arrest. You must seek medical care immediately; collapse can happen in as little as two minutes after being bitten.

You can find the eastern brown snake in many areas and habitats across Australia, including along the east coast, northern, and western regions. Their habitats include forests, coastal ranges, savanna woodlands, grasslands, scrublands, and farmlands. You may come across this species on the outskirts of urban areas, anywhere it can find shelter and food.

Snake Lifespan: Understanding the Life Span of Snakes

timber rattlesnake

The lifespan of a snake is dependent on many factors, including its species, size, diet, and habitat.

©Kristian Bell/Shutterstock.com

Snakes are fascinating creatures that come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. One aspect of their biology that is of interest to many is their lifespan. Snakes are long-lived animals, with some species living for well over a decade, while others can live for several decades.

The lifespan of a snake is dependent on many factors, including its species, size, diet, and habitat. For example, larger snake species tend to live longer than smaller species, and, with proper husbandry, captive snakes live longer than their wild counterparts.

In the wild, snakes face many challenges, including predation, disease, and competition for food and mates. Despite these challenges, some species of snakes have been known to live for more than 20 years in the wild.

It is important to note that while the lifespan of snakes can vary greatly, they all grow and mature at a much slower pace than mammals. This slow growth rate is a key factor in their longevity, as it allows them to avoid many of the health problems associated with aging.

The lifespan of snakes is a complex issue that is influenced by a number of factors. By understanding the life cycle of snakes, we can better appreciate the unique biology of these fascinating creatures and work to ensure their survival for generations to come.

Antarctica

Antarctica is the only continent without snakes. There are no reptiles on the entire continent. Antarctica gets as cold as -76° Fahrenheit and plunges into months of utter darkness, which is not a suitable environment for snakes. All snake species need heat for their muscular systems to function and digest their food. Because reptiles can’t regulate their body temperatures (they rely on their environment), they would never survive in Antarctica’s harsh climactic zone.

Summary of the Deadliest Snake on Every Continent

They may not be the most notorious – but these dangerous snakes kill more people each year than any other.

NumberContinentSnake
1North AmericaEastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
2South AmericaFer-De-Lance
3EuropeNose-Horned Viper
4AfricaPuff Adder
5AsiaSaw-Scaled Viper
6AustraliaEastern Brown Snake
7Antarctica(No snakes on the Continent)

Bonus: What are the 10 Most Venomous Snakes in the World?

We’ve looked at the #1 deadliest snake on each continent of the world, but those snakes aren’t necessarily at the top of the list as far as being the most venous snakes in the world. Below is a list of the top 10 most venomous snakes in the world with a few facts about the top 5:

  1. Inland Taipan–The inland Taipan is native to Australia but is not the deadliest because of its docile nature. However, this venomous snake’s bite contains only 44-110mg of venom per bite, which is enough to kill 289 humans. Not only does it envenomate more than 80% of the time, it also has the capability of biting repeatedly.
  2. Coastal Taipan–Also native to Australia, the coastal taipan (also called common Taipan) has highly toxic venom that can kill as many as 56 people in a single bite.
  3. Forest Cobra–Located in Africa, the forest cobra is a cousin of the king cobra. It averages injecting 570mg of venom per bite, making it one of the most potent venomous snakes on Earth.
  4. Dubois’s Sea Snake–Inhabiting the coral reef flats in the Coral Sea, the Arafura Sea, the Timor Sea, and the Indian Ocean, the Dubois’ sea snake is considered by some experts to be the most poisonous sea snake in the world with an LD50 amount of 0.04mg.
  5. Eastern Brown Snake–Another potent Australian snake is the eastern brown snake, which already made our list as the deadliest snake on that continent. As little as 3 mg of its venom can kill the average human.

Five More of the Top Venomous Snakes in the World:

  • Black Mamba
  • Russel’s Viper
  • Boomslang
  • King Cobra
  • Fer-de-Lance

The photo featured at the top of this post is © reptiles4all/Shutterstock.com

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About the Author

Niccoy is a professional writer for A-Z Animals, and her primary focus is on birds, travel, and interesting facts of all kinds. Niccoy has been writing and researching about travel, nature, wildlife, and business for several years and holds a business degree from Metropolitan State University in Denver. A resident of Florida, Niccoy enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, and spending time at the beach.

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