There are many species of venomous snakes distributed throughout China, more than a dozen of which pose a serious threat to humans. These venomous snakes are widespread, venomous, and numerous.
king cobra
The king cobra, also known as the cobra, is the longest venomous snake in China, reaching a length of up to 5.6 meters. It got its name from its gray-black body and eye-catching eyewear pattern. The king cobra has a flat, triangular head with large teeth and a powerful jaw. Its venom contains a variety of neurotoxins and thrombin components and is extremely lethal to humans and other animals.
King cobras detoxify more, 2 to 5 times more than pit vipers and 20 to 50 times more than bamboo leaf greens. This makes the king cobra far more venomous than other Chinese venomous snakes. When bitten, the body quickly develops symptoms such as severe pain, swelling, and difficulty breathing, which in severe cases can lead to respiratory failure and death.
King cobras are widely distributed in southern China, including Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou and other provinces. It inhabits mainly mountainous environments, hills, fields and shrubland. Because the king cobra is aggressive and vigilant, it may actively bite when encountering humans. Therefore, for people living in these areas, it is necessary to take extra care against the attack of king cobras.
Silver-ringed snake
The silver-ringed snake is one of the most venomous terrestrial snakes in China, also known as the five-step snake. Its body is slender, gray-brown throughout, and has a pronounced silver ring on its back, hence the name. The venom of the silver-ringed snake contains strong neurotoxins that have serious effects on the central nervous system in humans.
Although the silver-ringed snake has a single excretion of only 4.6 milligrams, it is extremely toxic, and just 1 milligram of venom is enough to be fatal. The poisonous attack of the silver-ringed snake is deceptive, the wound is not painful or swollen, and it is easy to be overlooked. Therefore, when bitten by a silver-ringed snake, it is often not easy to detect in time, which brings certain difficulties to treatment.
The silver-ringed snake is mainly distributed in southern China, such as Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi and other provinces. It inhabits mountainous areas, hills, fields, meadows and shrubland. Because the silver-ringed snake's living habits are relatively hidden, it generally does not actively attack humans. However, when disturbed or stepped on by mistake, it exhibits strong aggression, biting surrounding targets.
Inland Taipan Snake
The inland taipan snake, also known as the Australian inland brown snake, is considered to be one of the most venomous terrestrial snakes. It is huge, generally reaching a length of 2 to 3 meters or even longer. The body of the inland taipan snake is brown or gray with distinct spots and stripes. Its venom contains a variety of strong neurotoxins and thrombin components, which are extremely lethal.
A single bite from the inland Taipan snake can expel venom enough to be deadly, said to be enough to kill 100 adult men. Fortunately, however, due to its distribution area and aggressiveness, the inland Taipan snake poses a relatively small threat to humans. The inland taipan snake is mainly distributed in the inland areas of Australia, such as Western Australia, Queensland and other places. It often inhabits deserts, grasslands, shrublands and other environments.
The new snake species is the Suzhen snake
Recently, a new venomous snake was discovered in the Yingjiang region of Yunnan, China, named the Suzhen snake. The Suzhen snake is endemic to the Yingjiang region of Yunnan and has not been previously recorded by the scientific community. It is similar in appearance to the silver-ringed snake, but differs in toxicity. According to preliminary studies, the venom of the vegetarian snake contains some different components than the silver-ringed snake, so the dose of antivenom needs to be re-evaluated.
The distribution range of the vegetarian snake is mainly concentrated in the mountainous areas, hills and waters of the Yingjiang region of Yunnan, China. Since it is a newly discovered snake species, the study of the vegetarian snake is still in its infancy, and scientists need to further understand its ecological habits, toxicity characteristics and relationship with other snake species.
Vipers and humans
Contact between venomous snakes and humans is inevitable, especially where the range of venomous snakes overlaps with areas of human activity. However, in general, as long as we are careful and avoid actively contacting poisonous snakes, the possibility of encountering poisonous snakes is relatively low. Here are some precautions to prevent snakebites:
- Understand the distribution and characteristics of venomous snakes and try to avoid entering areas where venomous snakes are common.
- When outdoors, wear appropriate protective clothing and shoes and try to avoid exposing your skin.
- Pay attention to your surroundings and avoid stepping on or touching places where poisonous snakes may be hiding, such as grass, piles of stones, etc.
- Do not randomly catch or kill poisonous snakes to avoid causing an attack.
For those who live in areas where venomous snakes are common, it is crucial to know the precautions and first aid methods for venomous snakes. Immediately after being bitten by a poisonous snake, the following measures should be taken:
- Stay away from the bite site as soon as possible to avoid further bites.
- Keep your body calm and minimize movement to slow down the spread of venom.
- Immobilize the injured area and avoid using drug use to aspirate venom.
- Get medical attention as soon as possible, seek help from a professional doctor, and tell the doctor what kind of snakebite you have suffered.
By understanding China's first venomous snake, the king cobra, and other ferocious venomous snake species, we can better understand their characteristics and threats to humans. However, whether it is a king cobra, a silver-ringed snake or an inland taipan snake, as long as we are vigilant and cautious enough to avoid contact with venomous snakes, we can reduce conflicts with venomous snakes and protect our own safety.