Snakes in the Rainforest

Rainforests make up about 6 percent of the Earth's area, yet account for about half of the world's plant, animal and insect species. These tropical woodlands are found between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, usually close to the equator. Snakes are found in all of the world's rainforests, with the greatest number being in South America, but not all are poisonous or dangerous to humans.

  1. Anaconda

    • Anacondas are found near rivers in South and Latin American rainforests. Their name means "water boa." They are the queens of this region, as females can grow up to 20 feet in length and weigh more than 300 pounds. Anacondas are not poisonous. Instead they strike their prey quickly, holding it in their backward-facing teeth and squeeze it to death, suffocating it in a few minutes, then swallowing it whole, head first. Anacondas eat birds, fish, reptiles and land mammals.

    Fer de Lance

    • The fer de lance is the deadliest of all South and Central American snakes. They can grow up to 8 feet in length. A fer de lance can inject 105 mg of venom in one bite, but only 50 mg is needed to kill a human. It is a member of the pit viper family, and, like other pit vipers, has two indentations, or "pits," above its nostrils, which can detect a .001 degree change in temperature, allowing it to detect warm-blooded creatures. Its main source of food is rodents, which often brings it in contact with humans. It mostly lives on the ground, but can climb and swim too.

    Coastal Taipan

    • The coastal taipan is found in several areas of Australia, including tropical rainforests. It is one of the deadliest snakes in the world. It only attacks humans in self-defense, but when it does, it can deliver many quick bites with its large fangs. Its poison is a myotoxin, which eats away at muscle and can cause kidney failure and death. Taipans can grow up to 2 meters in length.

    King Cobra

    • The king cobras, found in rainforests of South East Asia, can grow up to 18 feet, and are the longest of the poisonous snakes. They avoid humans, but will attack if cornered, raising one-third of their bodies off the ground, flaring their hood and charging while emitting a loud hiss. The neurotoxic venom from one bite, according to National Geographic, can kill 20 humans, or one elephant. They live in trees, on land or in the water and eat other snakes, mammals, eggs and lizards. They are the only snake that guard their young until they hatch.

    Gaboon Viper

    • The gaboon viper, found in the rainforests of West and Central Africa, has the longest fangs, growing up to 2 inches long, and the highest venom yield of any snake on Earth. Its venom kills rodents instantly, while larger animals limp away, followed by the viper, which then finishes the job. Though not as toxic as cobras, they can still kill a human. Vipers, however, are quite passive and rarely bite humans. They can grow up to 6 feet in length and weigh 18 pounds.