Snakes in Thailand: description, photo. Dangerous snakes of Thailand

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

If you have never been to Thailand, but are planning to spend your holidays there, it does not hurt to learn some of the features of the region. Local resorts attract tourists with their exoticism, which has its pros and cons. I must say that snakes in Thailand are the most common occurrence, because they are the usual inhabitants of the jungle. You can meet them in the country even in crowded places. Therefore, be careful during walks and excursions. Reptiles appear even near hotels. There are many snakes in Thailand and they are dangerous.

Dangerous reptiles

Currently, there are more than 160 varieties of snakes, among them only 60 pose a danger to human he alth and life. Only a few species of especially dangerous snakes can be found in the resorts of the region. Thailand also has marine reptiles. Snakes live not only in forests, but also in cities. The bites of some of them canlead to undesirable consequences.

Poisonous snakes

Among the large number of poisonous snakes in Thailand, only four dangerous species can be found. All other reptiles prefer to live in the jungle, far from civilization.

Kraits and cobras have the strongest poison, so they are incredibly dangerous to humans. These snakes are very numerous in Thailand. Reptile venom contains a neurotoxin that causes limb paralysis. It can only be neutralized with the help of the timely administration of the appropriate drug. If this is not done, the probability of death increases to 50%.

The second place in terms of danger is occupied by the Malayan muzzle and the chain viper. The venom of these reptiles causes swelling near the bites. With untimely assistance, tissues may begin to die.

King Cobra

The king cobra is one of the largest snakes in Thailand (see photo and description later in the article). In length, it reaches 5.5 meters. Its poison is very dangerous. A reptile can inject up to 7 ml of a poisonous substance at a time. If a person is not injected with an antidote, he dies within a quarter of an hour. The cobra is one of the most dangerous snakes in Thailand.

However, for all its menacingness, the reptile causes the least harm to people than other varieties. The small number of human casu alties is explained very simply. Cobra skillfully doses the amount of poison during a bite. The fact is that the snake does not perceive a person as a potential victim, since it does notcan use it as food. Therefore, the snake does not consider it necessary to spend the precious poison. It bites but does not inject the dangerous substance.

Krait tape

If you are interested in the question of which snakes are the most dangerous in Thailand, then the ribbon krait is definitely on the list of terrible reptiles. It can be easily recognized by the alternating wide yellow and black rings. The length of the snake reaches two meters. The venom of the krait is so strong that just one dose is enough to kill ten people. It is worth noting that even the viper, which is immune to most of the poisons of other snakes, cannot withstand the poisonous toxin.

Malay muzzle

Another snake in Thailand (pictured in the article) is incredibly dangerous. In length, it reaches only one meter, but it is considered the most dangerous in all of Southeast Asia. In addition, there is no antidote for its toxin. A person who is bitten by such a snake will die in half an hour. Sometimes people are saved by antidotes to other reptile toxins, but this does not always work.

Malay cottonmouth produces an extremely toxic poison that destroys the blood cells of any victim, corroding tissue. In addition, the snake is dangerous in terms of insidious behavior. If all other reptiles warn of their presence of an approaching person, then the muzzle motionlessly hides in the grass or foliage, after which it rushes at the victim with lightning speed, digging in fangs that reach a length of twocentimeters.

Chain Viper

The chain viper is another dangerous snake in Thailand. Photos and names of the most dangerous reptiles will allow you to get an idea of who you should be afraid of in this exotic country. The chain viper is also called Russell's viper. It is considered the most numerous in South Asia. More than half of the cases of snake bites that are recorded in the region fall on this dangerous reptile. On average, the length of the snake reaches 1.2 meters. It lives on the mainland of Asia. Russell's viper was named after the Scottish herpetologist who first described it.

White-lipped keffiyeh

White-lipped keffiyeh is a representative of vipers. It reaches a meter in length. The snake lives not only on the ground, but also on trees, preferring to settle near people's dwellings.

For this reason, in Thailand there are a lot of cases of bites of white-lipped keffiyeh. I must say that snake bites are very painful, but most often not fatal. In addition, serums are produced in Thailand that neutralize the poison of this species, and other keffiy, too.

Monocle cobra

The distinguishing feature of the snake is the mark of the monocle on its hood. Cobra is distributed throughout Thailand and even beyond its borders. It can be found in forests and fields, on rice plantations and pastures. Cobra can be seen even near cities. She is active not only during the day, but also at night. But he prefers to hunt in the dark.

In case of danger, the snake assumes a defensive posture, spreading its hood and emitting a hiss. If a person behaves calmly, the cobra flees after a while. The color of the snake can be different, depending on the habitat. The cobra is very venomous so beware of it.

Spitting cobra

Some types of cobras are able to spit saliva, aiming at the eyes of the victim. A snake lives in Thailand, which can be three meters from its victim when attacked. If snake venom gets into the eyes, immediately rinse them with running water. In this case, the eyelids can not be rubbed. Rinse your eyes without fail, otherwise you can lose your eyesight. It should be understood that the spitting of a cobra is only the initial stage of the attack, after which the snake can bite. Therefore, care must be taken.

Non-venomous snakes

Only a novice tourist can ask the question: "Are there snakes in Thailand?" Experienced travelers know that the country's exoticism is not limited to palm trees and the sea. An incredible number of snakes is the reality of Thailand.

However, not all reptiles encountered are as dangerous as the representatives we have listed earlier. Among them there are also non-venomous snakes. One of these is the reticulated python. He is very large, by the age of seven, his body length reaches seven meters. There is a known case when the caught python reached 12.2 meters. Such snakes are very aggressive, so they can bite a person. The poison of pythons is not dangerous, but its large mouth and powerful body pose a danger to people. It is better not to face such reptiles.

Tiger Python

The tiger python has a more modest size than its counterpart (the reticulated python). The snake has a calmer disposition. But it can also be found in Bangkok. It is worth noting that such a reptile is able to swallow an animal that is the size of a German shepherd. As for a person, the snake behaves peacefully towards him and almost never attacks.

Green Whiplash

Green snakes in Thailand most often scare tourists, as they regularly come across on their way. One of them is the green whip snake, it is also called the eastern whip and bronze snake. It is she who often falls from palm trees on the heads of tourists, creating panic in the ranks of vacationers. Green snakes in Thailand are not uncommon. There are a lot of them, besides, they behave quite relaxed. They sneak into houses and scare people with their poisonous green color.

The whipworm reaches a length of two meters. It is able to inflate the skin in the neck area, which gives it an even larger and more menacing look. The snake is poisonous, but its toxin is not dangerous to humans.

Flying kite

The decorated flying kite is a frequent visitor to Bangkok and other localities of the country. The reptile reaches 1.5 meters in length.

At the same time, the snake crawls perfectly along vertical surfaces, thanks to which it easily penetrates into people's homes. During the daytime, she is awake, hunting lizards and rodents. In a collision with people, the snake rushes to the attack. But its poison is not dangerous to humans.

Radiantsnake

The length of the radiant snake reaches 170 cm. It is found everywhere in Thailand, including cities and small towns. The snake moves very quickly, in case of danger, he tries to flee. If the snake is driven into a corner, then at first it will start to scare a person with aggressive attacks, after which it will pretend to be dead. The snake is completely non-toxic, and therefore not dangerous to humans.

Big-Eyed Snake

This snake is barely a meter long. It is also called the Asian rat snake. The reptile deserved this name for its ability to ruthlessly deal with rodents on its territory.

Snakes usually avoid human encounters. In a hopeless situation, the snake can bite the enemy, but its poison is absolutely not dangerous for us.

Indochinese Wolftooth

The wolftooth is a small snake measuring only 50 cm in length. It is very common throughout Thailand and can be easily found in residential areas. Sometimes the snake shows aggression, although in terms of poison it is not dangerous.

Angler-snake

The reptile reaches a length of 120 cm. Snakes settle near water bodies, because they love to swim. During periods of heavy rains, they are often seen on the streets of cities. The snakes are peaceful, but in critical situations they try to stand up for themselves. They do not pay attention to people in the water and do not touch them.

There has not been a single case of a snake attacking a bathing person.

Sea snakes

BThere are 25 sea snakes in Thailand, some of them are poisonous. But most of them live at a depth, so they do not pose a danger to tourists. In the rest of the reptiles, the structure of the pharynx is such that it does not make it possible to harm a person. Therefore, sea snakes in Thailand are practically not dangerous. They tend to prefer not to face people. And they bite very rarely.

Rules of conduct

If you read the reviews, many tourists write that they encountered a black snake in Thailand. In fact, people are not able to describe what kind of reptile scared them. Most often, the collision occurs on the street in the evening and at night. Naturally, any reptile seems black. In addition, frightened tourists are simply unable to describe the snake.

All travelers are warned about the rules of behavior in a collision with reptiles. It is worth remembering that snakes usually do not attack first. It's just that when they come into contact with people, the instinct of self-preservation works. Therefore, you must always look at your feet. You should never step on reptiles, especially on the tail, which is the most sensitive part. Very often people themselves provoke snakes. No need to shout or wave your hands. Excessive noise provokes reptiles to attack. It is best to freeze and stand still until the snake crawls away. If it does not retreat, you can slowly move away on your own. Since at first glance it is difficult to determine how dangerous a reptile is, it is necessary to behave with the utmost caution.

What to do whenbite?

If you get bitten by a snake, don't panic. After all, nervous excitement helps to accelerate the spread of poison through the circulatory system. It is very important to remember the distinguishing features of the snake, by which it can be identified. This is necessary to determine the antidote. If the bite turned out to be deep, then you can expand the wound to facilitate the outflow of blood. Above the wound, it is necessary to drag a part of the body with a tourniquet. If the bite fell on the hand, then it is necessary to remove all jewelry (rings and bracelets), as severe swelling may appear. Strenuous exercise should be avoided prior to hospitalization as this increases the rate of spread of the venom. It is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol after a bite. It enhances the effect of the poison.

Snake bites are common in Thailand. Most of them are safe for he alth, but all precautions must be observed.