Ilha da Queimada Grande, located off the coast of southern Brazil, is a fascinating island, locally known as Snake Island. Host to the deadly Golden Lancehead Viper, access to Snake Island has been forbidden due to the dangers and also the urgent need for conservation.
This 43-hectare island houses the largest population of 2,000 to 4,000 venomous Golden Lancehead Vipers—Bothrops insularis. This place is ranked as one of the most dangerous places on Earth because of its huge population of vipers on the island.
The Inhabitants: Golden Lancehead Vipers
The Golden Lancehead Viper reaches 70 cm in length. They have adapted to killing birds because of a lack of prey on the ground. Symptoms of their fast-acting venom are kidney failure and internal bleeding. Even at this level of lethality, the venom is studied by researchers for medical applications, such as treating heart disease and blood clots.
Facts About Snake Island
- To avoid endangering both the snakes and the visitors, the Snake Island acces has since been closed to the public by the Brazilian Navy.
- Given that the density is as high as one viper per square meter in forested habitats, this makes it one of the most dangerous islands in the world.
- A lighthouse keeper and his family lived there in the early 1900s but were allegedly killed by the vipers that led to the lighthouse’s automation.
- Golden Lanceheads are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, disease, illegal poaching and inbreeding.
Ecology and Adaptations
Golden Lanceheads isolated for 11,000 years on this island kill migratory birds with their deadly toxin. A non-venomous snake inhabiting the island is the Sauvage’s snail-eater.
Snake Island Tourism
Golden Lanceheads are critically endangered, and Snake Island tourism does not exist. The island guards against poaching .
Survival Tip To Keep In Mind
If you have the misfortune of being stranded on Snake Island, do not go into the forests where the vipers are very much more in number; instead, stick with the rocky shore. If bitten, seek medical help immediately; otherwise, it will prove fatal within an hour.
FAQ
Why does Snake Island have so many snakes?
These snakes were isolated on the island thousands of years ago when rising sea levels cut the place off from the mainland. The snakes then had no predators to regulate their number, and at the same time, their prey was very limited. They adapted to their new environment, and their population began increasing rapidly.
Can a person go to Snake Island?
No, a person cannot go to Snake Island without authorization from the Brazilian Navy.
