20 miles off the coast of Sao Paulo in southeastern Brazil, there's a small, uninhabited island called Ilha da Queimada Grande. It is known as Snake Island. Bothrups insularis, aka golden lancehead viper, does not exist anywhere else in the world except Snake Island.
Brazil is the country with the largest number of species of snakes in the world. But do you know that there is a country in the world where there are no snakes?
80% of Western Australia falls into the desert or semi-arid climate section meaning that it receives no more than a foot of rainfall all year long. The soil is not rich in nutrients and over half of the days are sunny with no clouds. There is a large variety of snakes in this area.
Snakes live in a wide variety of habitats including forests, swamps, grasslands, deserts and in both fresh and salt water. Some are active at night, others during the day. Snakes are predators and eat a wide variety of animals, including rodents, insects, birds' eggs and young birds.
An unlikely tale, perhaps—yet Ireland is unusual for its absence of native snakes. It's one of only a handful of places worldwide—including New Zealand, Iceland, Greenland, and Antarctica—where Indiana Jones and other snake-averse humans can visit without fear.
Norfolk Island is a very safe place to visit. There are no snakes on the island, and most of our spiders are harmless (even the big ones).
A number of animals came from islands north of Australia millions of years ago. For example, elapids — a family of famously venomous snakes – swam to the continent via the island archipelagos off Asia, he says.
It's a common misconception that New Zealand has no snakes, but it's not the truth. Marine snakes, or sea snakes, are seen regularly in the waters around northern New Zealand when warm subtropical currents carry them south from out of the tropics.
The majority of snakebites occur on the hands, feet and ankles. Rattlesnakes usually avoid humans, but about 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes in the United States each year, with 10 to 15 deaths, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Use Natural Predators
Foxes and raccoons are common predators of snakes. Guinea hens, turkeys, pigs, and cats will also help keep snakes away. If foxes are indigenous to your area, fox urine is a very good natural repellent for snakes when spread around your property.
Estimated to have enough venom in each bite to kill more than 100 men, the Inland Taipan is considered the most venomous snake in the world. However, this serpent is characteristically reclusive, placid and unlikely to attack. It inhabits remote, semi-arid regions in Queensland and South Australia.
Snakes can bite you underwater, but usually only if they're provoked or if they feel threatened. In the Tropical Journal of Medicine and Hygiene, researchers studied 100 sea-snake bite patients who visited a local hospital. They found that over 80% of patients were fishermen who had been in the water.
In Australia, snakes sometimes slither into suburban backyards and homes. When the weather gets warm, they lounge in the sun. When it gets hot, they seek cool places: a wall crevice, under a refrigerator, under a barbecue grill, behind an air-conditioning unit.
Australia is known for its dangerous snakes, and we have many – but in reality few people die from bites. WHEN IT COMES TO self-defence, Australia's snakes have things pretty well covered.
Known as the land down under, Australia is home to no fewer than 100 species of snake. Many of these are venomous; some are large, some are small, and some can even kill a human with their bite. Australia is even home to saltwater-dwelling sea snakes that spend nearly their entire lives in the ocean.
Australia has around 140 species of land snake, and 32 recorded species of sea snakes. Some 100 Australian snakes are venomous, although only 12 are likely to inflict a wound that could kill you.
Humans are not prey and snakes tend to detect them by the mechanisms above and will mostly move out of the way if possible. If one is cornered however or inadvertently trodden on or rolled on in sleep it may bite defensively.
The saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) may be the deadliest of all snakes, since scientists believe it to be responsible for more human deaths than all other snake species combined.
Tasmania has three species of land snake: Tiger snake, Notechis scutatus. Lowland Copperhead, Austrelaps superbus. White-lipped snake, Drysdalia coronoides.
Hawaii has several species of protected and endangered birds. Hawaii has no native snakes, and it's illegal to own the animals in the islands.
Stick to the trails in national parks and reserves, and make a bit of noise when you walk. Keep your yard clear of long grass and rubbish so snakes have nowhere to hide. Rats and mice are a snake's smorgasbord, so clean up after the chooks and control rodents on your property.
Australia and Antarctica finally broke apart around 100 million years ago. Today, venomous snakes are found in all of these places – apart from Antarctica, where it is too cold for them to live. On the original combined land mass, it is thought that there was a population of ancestral snakes that was venomous.
Predators. The species' known predators include birds of prey and feral cats.
Australian Box Jellyfish
The box jellyfish is the world's most venomous animal with four species — Chironex fleckeri, Carukia barnesi, Malo kingi, and Chironex yamaguchii — considered highly venomous. The Chironex fleckeri, also known as the Australian box jellyfish is considered the most venomous animal in the world.