After Qingming Festival, the weather gradually warms up, and snakes and insects in mountain forests become more active. Whether you live in rural areas near fields or enjoy hiking and camping on weekends, besides protecting yourself from mosquito bites, you should also be aware of the presence of various snakes. After learning about the top three most common biting snakes, which other dangerous venomous species should you watch out for?

NO.4 Many-banded Krait (5.5%)

Also known as the Taiwan krait, hundred-pacer, or shovel-snouted snake, it belongs to the elapidae family and is neurotoxic, making it the most venomous snake in Taiwan. The many-banded krait has an oval-shaped head with a black neck and a body marked with black and white bands. It is generally docile and moves slowly, rarely attacking humans actively. However, due to its highly potent venom, a bite can be extremely serious.

NO.5 Hundred Pacer (1.4%)

Also called the five-step snake, hundred-step snake, or pit viper, it belongs to the hundred-pacer family. It inhabits mountainous or jungle areas, with a triangular head and a body covered in diamond-shaped patterns from neck to tail, outlined in black and bordered by yellowish-brown. The black edges also form yellowish-brown triangular markings along the sides. The hundred pacer is the largest venomous snake in Taiwan, equipped with retractable fangs that can deliver a large amount of venom. Its venom is hemotoxic and it has the highest fatality rate among venomous snakes in Taiwan.

NO.6 Chain Snake (0.5%)

Also known as the chain viper, seven-step snake, or seven-step red, it belongs to the vipera family. It has a triangular head, a light grayish-brown back with three longitudinal rows of dark or deep brown oval markings, and a body covered in interconnected circular rings that resemble chains, often mistaken for a hundred-pace viper. The chain snake is only found in southern Taiwan and some low-altitude areas of Hualien. Its venom is both hemotoxic and neurotoxic. It can hiss like a cobra, moves quickly, and is easily startled into attacking humans.

However, all six of these highly venomous snakes are mostly protected species, and their numbers are declining due to human hunting. Therefore, when encountering venomous snakes, we should uphold the principle of mutual respect — if you don’t bother me, I won’t bother you — to protect both ourselves and the ecological environment.