The golden lancehead is a highly venomous pit viper species found exclusively on the Ilha da Queimada Grande, off the coast of São Paulo state, in Brazil. The species is named for the light yellowish-brown color of its underside and for its head shape that is characteristic of the genus Bothrops.
A bite from a golden lancehead carries a seven percent chance of death, and even with treatment, victims still have a three percent chance of dying. The snake’s venom can cause kidney failure, necrosis of muscular tissue, brain hemorrhaging and intestinal bleeding.
The golden lancehead’s venom is considered one of the most potent among all venomous snakes. It is primarily hemotoxic, meaning it disrupts blood clotting and damages blood vessels. The belly is a uniform pale yellow or cream. The name “lancehead” refers to the elongated and pointed head shape of all snakes in the genus Bothrops. B. insularis also has a longer tail than its closest relative, B. jararaca, likely an adaptation to help the snake maneuver.
The island is frequented by wildlife smugglers keen to cash in on the lethal vipers. Experts estimate that a single golden lancehead snake can sell for between $10,000 and $30,000. Poaching is particularly harmful to the species since it targets the largest and most reproductively mature individuals.
The golden lancehead is endemic to only one island off Brazil, Queimada Grande. This small island of 43 hectares has a varied terrain from tropical rainforest to bare rock. The island has a temperate climate ranging between 18-24 degrees C. It is the only home of the golden lancehead. Over time, forced selection pressure has permitted the snake to adapt to this new environment where they have thrived until recently.
Unfortunately, due to the low population and other factors, this snake species has been listed as Critically Endangered. The death toll on humans is a 3% mortality rate with treatment and 7% without. Its venom is capable of melting flesh and tissue while containing a deadly neurotoxin that kills quickly.
What is the most snake infested island?
An island off the coast of Sao Paolo, Brazil, is home to one of the deadliest snakes on Earth—and there are a lot of them. It’s estimated that on Snake Island, there’s one snake for every square foot of land. A golden lancehead viper’s venom can kill a human in about an hour. The snakes were trapped on the island about 11,000 years ago, due to rising sea levels after the last Ice Age.
The Golden Lancehead viper is known as one of the deadliest snakes in the world, and according to the Smithsonian, the venom in the snake can be fatal in an hour if you were to get bitten.
Lancehead snakes, which are the golden lanceheads’ mainland cousins, are responsible for 90 percent of all snake bites in Brazil. A bite from their golden relatives is less likely to actually happen due to their island isolation. However, such an encounter is far more likely to be lethal if it does happen.
The island of Keimada Grande, also called Snake Island, is one of the most dangerous places to travel in the world. Located on the Brazilian coast, the island includes about 445 km2 of forestland, and its main danger is that hundreds of thousands of different snakes, including poisonous ones, live here.
What island has the most poisonous snakes?
Ninety-three miles off Brazil’s coast lies Ilha da Queimada Grande. The island is home to some of the world’s most endangered and deadliest snakes. Researchers estimate one to five snakes per square meter on the island.
The island measures just 430,000 square meters. It’s densely packed with snakes, enough to inspire fear in anyone. We’re examining the infamous Snake Island in Brazil. Australia contains more venomous snake species than any other country. It includes nine of the world’s ten most venomous snakes.
Snake Island in China’s Bohai Sea reportedly has 20,000 snakes. The island’s snakes became trapped thousands of years ago. Rising ocean levels disconnected it from the mainland. About 2,000-4,000 highly venomous golden lancehead vipers live there.
The 46-acre Snake Island in the Black Sea symbolizes the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Russia gave up the island in July 2022.
Snake Island sits 21 miles off Brazil’s coast. It covers about 110 acres with over 400,000 snakes. Rising sea levels disconnected it from the mainland. This allowed snakes to evolve in isolation.
Snake Island’s dense snake population evolved over thousands of years without human intervention. Around 11,000 years ago, rising sea levels isolated it. Snakes that lived there evolved differently than mainland snakes. With no ground predators, the snakes reproduced rapidly. They evolved to prey on migratory birds.
Few Caribbean islands have venomous snakes – Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, and Trinidad. Islands can have dangerous animals like golden lancehead vipers with skin-melting venom.
Snake Island off Brazil has 430,000 highly venomous golden lancehead vipers. Some have venom strong enough to melt human flesh. Other snake islands exist but none as dense or dangerous. Originally home to many snakes, the golden lancehead killed off other species with its powerful venom.
Isolated for millennia, Snake Island has the world’s deadliest snakes at five per square meter. Golden lanceheads grow over 11 feet long. Their bite causes most snakebite deaths in the Americas. The island reportedly detached from mainland Brazil 11,000 years ago. Now the Brazilian Navy bans civilians from it.
How much does a golden lancehead cost?
Golden lancehead snakes can sell for $10,000 to $30,000. One poisonous bite from the Golden Lancehead pit viper can kill a man within hours. Its venom will burn flesh and cause bleeding. The golden lancehead’s diet is mostly perching birds. However, they eat lizards, and cannibalism has been reported. Newborns prey on invertebrates. Golden lanceheads grow 70-90 cm, but can reach 118 cm. Their hemotoxic venom eats flesh to help swallow prey, but has neurotoxic components.
Since the island has no large mammals, the golden lancehead has lost defensive behaviors like camouflage. Dipsas snail-eaters also live on Snake Island. At adulthood golden lanceheads reach over two meters. They have a rounded neck, small snout, and light camo pattern.
Only 2,400-2,900 golden lanceheads live on Snake Island, making them critically endangered. Venom five times more potent than mainland lanceheads makes Snake Island risky. Though capable of swimming, golden lanceheads stay on Snake Island. Entry is restricted as smugglers sell lanceheads illegally. Still, some think the idea of exceptional deadliness is a myth. Predictions are the venom could cause organ failure, paralysis or death. But there is no record of a golden lancehead biting a human.