The dark, dense forests of India are the ideal habitat for venomous animals. These forests offer abundant prey for giant snakes, scorpions and poisonous spiders.

With 270 species of snakes, 60 of whom are highly venomous, there is no dearth of lethal animals in India, including the king cobra, the deadliest snake in the world. Among them are the so-called big four snakes of India; the Indian or spectacled cobra, the common krait, the Russell's viper and the saw-scaled viper. Nearly 50,000 people die each year due to snake bites in India. Let's check this of top 10 most venomous snakes in India:

1. King Cobra

The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world, as it can grow up to 5.5 m in length and can raise its head 2 m off the ground. It is a highly carnivorous snake, and it even eats other snakes. Its favorite prey includes the non-venomous rat snake, other cobras, kraits and small pythons.

The king cobra has caused various fatalities in India through its venomous sting, and it is known all over the world for being one of the most dangerous snakes in the world. Cobras do not need to bite to cause hurt, as they can eject venom through their fangs across a distance of 2 m blinding their prey and causing severe damage to the eyes if not washed out quickly.

Its habitat includes the thick jungles, cool swamps, bamboo clusters and rainforests of India. The home of the king cobra is the Indian state of Kerala. This large, powerful snake can be tan, olive green or black, with pale yellow cross bands. There is an anti-serum for evading bites from the king cobra, but it is still one of the most venomous animals in India can kill a person with a single bite.

Scientific Name : Ophiophagus Hannah
Venom Type : Neurotoxin
Max. Length : 12 Feet
Average Life : 20 Years
Average Weight : Upto 9 Kg.
Locality : Kerala
Kill a Human : Within 30 Min. (Without Antivenom )
Snake Bite : Reach nearest hospital immediately

2. Indian Krait

Indian Krait also known as Common krait is one of the species of venomous snake found in the jungle and villages of the Indian subcontinent. This species is responsible for most snakebites on humans in the country and the top member of the big four snake family of India. Krait venom contains a lot of neurotoxins that can lead to muscular paralysis, and its bite is life-threatening. There are a total of 12 species and 5 sub-species of krait snakes in the world; the common or Indian krait is found in the jungle and villages of the Indian subcontinental region.

Scientific Name : Bungarus Caerulus
Venom Type : Neurotoxin
Max. Length : 6.5 Feet
Average Life : 10-17 Years
Average Weight : NA
Locality : Villages
Kill a Human : Within 45 Min. (Without Antivenom )
Snake Bite : Reach nearest hospital immediately

3. Russell’s Viper

The Russell's viper has killed more people than any other snake in India. Found in all areas of the country, this venomous snake makes a sizzling noise before it strikes. It is nocturnal and can be even found inside camping equipment or automobiles, which is what makes it very dangerous. The local name of the Russell's viper is "Daboia" or "Koriwala".

The neurotoxin it releases is a hemotoxin that can damage the central nervous system of any species. Its bite can kill a person, following internal bleeding, massive pain and a hemorrhage in the brain. With an average length of 4 feet, this dark brown or brownish-gray snake feeds on rodents, small birds, and lizards.

Scientific Name : Daboia Ruselii
Venom Type : Hemotoxin
Max. Length : 3.3 Feet
Average Life : 10-17 Years
Average Weight : NA
Locality : Western Ghats
Look Alike : Indian Rock Python, Common Sand Boa, Saw Scaled Viper
Kill a Human : Within 45 Min. (Without Antivenom )
Snake Bite : Reach nearest hospital immediately

4. Saw Scaled Viper

The saw-scaled viper is recognizable by its larger than average eyes; its head is wider than the neck, and its body is quite stocky. It is found in sandy areas, rocky habitats, soft soil and scrub lands. It feeds on lizards, frogs, and various types of arthropods such as centipedes, large sized insects, and scorpions. Among the most venomous vipers, the saw-scaled is the smallest member of the big four group, which gives it the popular name of "little Indian viper".

Scientific Name : Echis Carinatus
Venom Type : Hemotoxin
Max. Length : 2.6 Feet
Average Life : 23 Years
Average Weight : NA
Locality : Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Maharashtra (Dry Areas)
Look Alike : Common Sand Boa, Common Cat Snake, Russell's Viper
Kill a Human : NA
Snake Bite : Reach nearest hospital immediately

5. Spectacled Cobra

The Indian or spectacled cobra, also called the Nag, is a species of highly poisonous snake found in India. It feeds on rodents, lizards, and frogs. There are many species of cobras in India, but this particular species has caused the highest number of snake bites in the country.

Scientific Name : Naja naja
Venom Type : Neurotoxic
Max. Length : 7 Feet
Average Life : 9 Years
Average Weight : NA
Locality : All around India
Look Alike : Monocled Cobra, Rat Snake, Banded Racer, Checkered Keelback
Kill a Human : Withing 2 Hours (Without Antivenom )
Snake Bite : Reach nearest hospital immediately

6. Pit Vipers

Endemic to southwest India, found on the west coast and the Western Ghats, the Malabar pit or rock viper is one of the most dangerous snakes in India. Another pit viper species endemic to India and Sri Lanka is the hump-nosed pit viper (Hypnale hypnale), which is active in the night and hunts in the early morning.

Yet another venomous Indian pit viper is the shore or mangrove pit viper (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus) found in islands of Andaman Islands and the island of Car Nicobar in the Indian Ocean.

Scientific Name : Trimeserus Malabaricus
Venom Type : Neurotoxic
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7. Banded Krait

One of the largest species kraits snake found in India’s diverse biosphere is the Banded Krait. It can be easily recognized by its distinctive cross bands in black-yellowish color. Among the other species of Krait, this Banded Sea Krait is highly poisonous snake in world and in India. It feeds on coral reefs of India and is mostly found underwater. At times it is even confused with the eels. Its tail is often misunderstood as its head by the prey which this snake uses as an advantage. It is pretty slim but highly venomous. Another distinctive feature of this snake is that though it spends most of its time underwater, it would regularly come on to the land to drink fresh water.

Scientific Name : Bungarus Fasciatus
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8. Bamboo Pit Viper

Yet another particularly venomous pit viper and one of the most dangerous snakes in India is the bamboo or Indian green pit viper, found in the mountainous regions of Western Ghat in southern India. The bamboo pit viper is not only found in grasslands and jungles but also in urban areas. It is arboreal, and it lives in the vines, bushes, and bamboos of India. This snake also has a heat sensing system apart from a venomous sting. It grows at the length of 2.5 feet.

Scientific Name : Trimeresurus Stejnegeri
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9. Hump Nosed Pit Viper

Hump-nosed pit viper is one of the common species in India. This snake is highly active in early dawn and night. Majorly found in the parts of south India where there are thick forests, coffee plantations and hilly regions of South India. This snake is also nocturnal and is known for its broad triangular head which is even wider than its neck. It is called Hump Nosed because of nose which is somewhat inverted and broad. It has been a reason of a number of fatal deaths in South India.

Scientific Name : Hypnale Hypnale
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10. Andaman Pit Viper

Andaman Pit Viper is a venomous species innate to Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These are commonly known as Mangrove Pit Viper, shore pit viper and Purple-spotted pit viper. These are highly venomous and are responsible for snake bite deaths caused in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Scientific Name : Trimeresurus Andersonii
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Though mostly feared, snakes are an important part of our nation’s biodiversity and mostly inhabit the areas like forests and jungles. Most of the snake species are non-venomous but still they are considered dangerous which is alright since people are not so much aware about these things, since snakes are true friend of nture we must get aware that how they are important to maintain the balance of our biodiversity system. For this it is important to know the common non-venomous snakes of India which are not harmful for human but due to lack of knowledge they are being killed by their appearance only. Besides any animal will get aggressive when aggravated so this is a defense mechanism used by all the inhabitants of the planet. Mostly snakes will only attack once they feel threatened otherwise these reptiles generally prefer to stay away from human touch. Please try to keep away from each others to save these wonderful creatures of nature.

Snakebite Treatment (First Aid)

It’s important to be aware that bites from snakes can cause a severe allergic reaction in some people. Learn more about first aid treatment for severe allergic reactions in the section below.

Note the Snake's Appearance

It can be difficult to know if a bite from a snake is dangerous or not. This article explains the best first aid treatment depending on the type of snake involved. It's not recommended to kill the snake for purposes of identification, because medical services do not rely on visual identification of the snake species. There are few parameters by which you can differentiate between venomous and non-venomous snakes.

Snake bites

From 270 species of snakes, 60 of them are highly venomous, there is no dearth of lethal animals in India, including the king cobra, the deadliest snake in the world. Among them are the so-called big four snakes of India; the Indian or spectacled cobra, the common krait, the Russell's viper and the saw-scaled viper. Nearly 50,000 people die each year due to snake bites in India.

Most snake bites happen when people try to kill or capture them. If you come across a snake, don't panic. Back away to a safe distance and let it move away. Snakes often want to escape when disturbed.

All snake bites must be treated as potentially life-threatening. If you are bitten by a snake, call 102 for an ambulance or reach nearest hospital at the earliest.

Different types of snake bites

Dry bites

A dry bite is when the snake strikes but no venom is released. Dry bites will be painful and may cause swelling and redness around the area of the snake bite.

Because you can’t tell if a snake’s bite is a dry bite always assume that you have been injected with venom, and manage the bite as a medical emergency. Once medically assessed, there is usually no need for further treatment, such as with antivenoms. Many snake bites in India do not result in envenomation, and so they can be managed without antivenom.

Venomous bites

Venomous bites are when the snake bites and releases venom (poison) into a wound. Snake venom contains poisons which are designed to stun, numb, or kill other animals.

Symptoms of a venomous bite include:

1. severe pain around the bite, this might come on later
2. swelling, bruising or bleeding from the bite
3. bite marks on the skin (these might be obvious puncture wounds or almost invisible small scratches)
4. swollen and tender glands in the armpit or groin of the limb that has been bitten
5. tingling, stinging, burning or abnormal feelings of the skin
6. feeling anxious
7. nausea (feeling sick) or  vomiting (being sick)
8. dizziness
9. blurred vision
10. headache
11. breathing difficulties
12. problems swallowing
13. stomach pain
14. irregular heartbeat
15. muscle weakness
16. confusion
17. blood oozing from the site or gums
18. collapse
19. paralysis, coma or death (in the most severe cases)

Recommended

1. Move the person beyond striking distance of the snake.
2. Have the person lie down with wound below the heart.
3. Keep the person calm and at rest, remaining as still as possible to keep venom from spreading.
4. Cover the wound with loose, sterile bandage.
5. Remove any jewelry from the area that was bitten.
6. Remove shoes if the leg or foot was bitten.

Never

1. Cut a bite wound
2. Attempt to suck out venom
3. Apply tourniquet, ice, or water
4. Give the person alcohol or caffeinated drinks or any other medications

Please note that above mentioned aid is a standard protocol to be used in a general condition. Do consult a doctor or medical specialist for proper treatment. Since snake bite may cause death of a human, so we will not gurantee that above procedure will work in every condition as the medical condition vary person to person, however these are widely used first ad globally but we will advice you to consult a doctor before follow these steps.

Reference: Health Direct, WebMD