The Malayan or Blue Krait living in South East Asia and Indonesia is the deadliest of its species. Half of the people bitten by the snake will die, even when they have received the antivenin. In this article, you will learn more about this species of snake, as well as about the Eastern Brown Snake and Philippine Cobra.
Blue Krait
It is common for Kraits to hunt and kill other snakes. Sometimes, they even cannibalize their own kind. Kraits are nocturnal and become more aggressive when they can hide under the cover of darkness. Yet, the species is still on the timid side for the most part and will often choose hiding rather than putting up a fight. When a victim is bitten, they receive a neurotoxin that is 16 times more potent than that of the Cobra. It works rapidly to paralyze the muscles, and then cause the body to experience spasms, cramps and tremors.
On the bright side, it is rare to suffer a bite from a Krait because they are only active at night. Before people could receive the antivenin for a Krait bite, 85% of people bitten would die. Even when the antivenin is given, a person still faces an uphill battle in recovery. Usually, it takes 6 to 12 hours for someone to die from a Krait bite. It is not uncommon for people to slip into a permanent coma or become brain dead when coming in contact with the snake.
Eastern Brown Snake
Just a small amount of the venom from an Eastern Brown Snake can kill an adult human. Under a range of species, this type of snake is considered the most venomous. Found around heavily populated regions in Australia, the snake prefers to dwell within close proximity to humans. Depending on the circumstances, the snake is considered quite aggressive with the ability to move quite fast. Sometimes, the creature will chase its victims and strike at them more than once. The potency of the snake’s bite is so great that even the juveniles have the ability to kill a human. The venom is comprised of both neurotoxins and blood coagulants. Humans are lucky that less than half of the snakebites contain venom, and the creature prefers not to strike at all. It is your movement that they react to, so it is suggested that you stand very still if you have the misfortune of coming in contact with the Eastern Brown Snake.
Philippine Cobra
The Cobra with the deadliest venom when taking into consideration its drop-for-drop potency, it is the Philippine Cobra that earns this honor. Also, to make matters worse, the snake can spit its venom up to 3 meters. Attacking the cardiac functions and the respiratory system, the venom is a neurotoxin that causes paralysis and death within 30 minutes. A bite only causes minimal damage to skin tissue, but it is the neurotoxins that disrupt the transmission of nerve signals. A victim often suffers headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, collapse and convulsions as common symptoms associated with the bite of the Philippine Cobra.