About 600 types of snakes are venomous, or able to inject toxins through their bite, out of the estimated 3,000 snake species worldwide. The majority of snakes will smother or swallow their prey rather than injecting it with venom. Out of the snake species that are venomous, only about half are considered to be threats to humans. The others generally will not attack people unless they are provoked. The venom from snakes is either neurotoxic, meaning that it targets the nervous system, or hemotoxic, which targets the blood.
More about venomous snakes:
- One of the most venomous snakes, the hook-nosed sea snake, lives in southeast Asia and can kill with just 1.5 milligrams of its venom.
- Australia has the most highly venomous snake species, being home to 21 of the world's 25 most venomous snake species, but the country's death rate from snakebites is less than six people per year.
- The king cobra is thought to be the world’s largest venomous snake, measuring at an average length of 18 feet (5.49 m).
