Snakes have captured our imagination—and fear—for as long as we've shared the planet together. They are the stuff of legend. While less than one third of all snake species are venomous unless you live in Australia, where that number is 65%! Be careful around all snakes—but non venomous snake bites aren't painful; they feel like a pinprick. There are four different types of venomous snakes in the United States: cottonmouths, rattlesnakes, copperheads and coral snakes. The cottonmouths have elliptical pupils and range in color from black to green. They have a white stripe along the side of their heads. They are often found in or around water, but have also adapted to live well on land. Young snakes have a bright yellow tail. They are often loners, so if you see multiple snakes coexisting peacefully, it is probably not a cottonmouth. Look for the rattle on the tail. Some harmless snakes imitate the rattle by brushing their tails through leaves, but only rattle snakes have the button-like rattle at the end of the tail. If you can't see the rattle, they also have a heavy triangular head and elliptical eyes like a cat's. Another beautiful but deadly snake is the Coral snake—so beautiful that other snakes—not-venomous ones such as the Milk snake—look just like them. They have distinctive coloring, though, with a black, yellow and red bands, a yellow head, and a black band over their nose. One rhyme to help distinguish coral snakes from king snakes is 'Red to yellow, kill a fellow. Red to black, friend of Jack. However, most of the time coral snakes will not bite - they are very shy. There are no known deaths from the Arizona coral snake and only a few from the Eastern Coral snake. Watch out for mimics. Some non-venomous snakes mimic the patterns and behaviors of venomous snakes. Rat snakes can look like Rattlers, and harmless Milk and King snakes can look like Coral snakes. And though you should remain cautious, do not kill any snake—it could be illegal to do so, and killing non-venomous snakes allows venomous snake and vermin populations to grow. Look out for the Adder! The adder—common viper, or vipera Berus—features a distinctive V- or X-shaped marking on its head. It also features a vertically-slit pupils, dark zigzag stripes on its back, and dark ovals along its flank. The dark patches range from gray to blue to black most commonly. The background color is usually a pale gray, though can be brown or brick red. While painful and requiring prompt medical attention, adder bites are generally not fatal. Given a choice, they'd rather be anywhere than near you. They can spread a hood behind their head, which gives them their famous, very scary appearance. Generally, cobras in southern India range in color from yellow to brown. Northern India cobras are usually dark brown or black. If they attack, they will strike quickly—and sometimes repeatedly. Larger cobras may latch on and dig in, releasing maximum venom! The krait ranges in length from about 4 feet 1. Their head is depressed, slightly broader than the neck, with a rounded snout. Its eyes are small and entirely black. Its scales are hexagonal in shape, and the subcaudal scales those beneath the tail are undivided. They're docile and shy during the day, but at night will attack if provoked. The Russel's viper is a stout snake, with a brown body mixed with reds and yellows. The body features three longitudinal rows of eye-like spots of dark brown or black, that start from the head and fade out towards the tail. The spots on either side are smaller and more rounded than the top spots. Its eyes have vertical pupils, and it's tongue is purplish black. If you provoke one and not just step on it accidentally , it will warn with a high-pitched whistle like a pressure cooker. These are the second most common vipers in India, after Russel's viper. They range in size from about 15 inches 40cm to about 30 inches 80cm. Their body ranges from dark brown to red, gray, or a mix of those colors. Light colored spots of light yellow or very light brown, with dark-colored lines woven through. Don't stick around if you hear that sound—the saw-scaled viper is one of the fastest-striking species in the world! It may dry-bite on occasion, but only a medical expert can say for sure. Beware of the Fierce Snake. AKA the Inland Taipan, the Fierce Snake has the reputation of being the most deadly snake on the planet. Its venom is more potent than any other species by far, and yet—there's no record of a human fatality caused by the Fierce Snake. It's darker in the winter than it is in the summer. It's head can appear almost black. Avoid the Eastern Brown Snake. Unlike the most venomous snake, the Inland Taipan, the Eastern Brown Snake is responsible for the most snakebite deaths in Australia. Like all snakes, they would much rather slither away than attack, but if they are threatened, or grabbed, or stepped on, all bets are off. They're slender, with a variable color ranging from tan to gray or dark brown. Their belly is lighter, and has darker orange spots. Some snakes are also extremely aggressive and therefore more likely to bite, or will even bite multiple times during a single attack, making them more dangerous than other species with more potent venoms. And coloration as well, though not quite as easily. Black racers live in the southern United States and northern Mexico, and are easily distinguishable from darkly-colored dangerous local snakes some rattlesnakes and water moccasins by head shape. If you're in Africa or Australia, the only black racers you'll find will be escaped pets. Steer clear of dark snakes in these places, as many of the local species will be dangerous to humans. To identify a venomous snake in the U. Next, check for a triangular head shape, since non-venomous snakes have rounded heads. If the snake has a rattle on its tail, it is a venomous rattlesnake! You can also look for the heat sensor, which is a small depression between the eye and the nostril, to identify a poisonous snake. Always treat any snake as venomous if you can't identify it! Looking at a snakes eyes is not a valid way to identify if it is venomous or not. Cobras, Black Mamba's and other types of very venomous snakes have round pupils, while red tailed boas, emerald tree boas and green tree pythons have elliptical eyes. Do not approach an unknown snake just because it has round pupils, it does not mean it is not venomous. Many venomous snakes are now critically endangered or threatened in the United States. It is against federal law to kill or interfere with any endangered species, and that includes protected venomous snakes. In addition, in many states it is illegal to kill, capture, harass, or possess wild snakes of any sort, venomous or non-venomous.
