Watch Out for Snakes When Hiking and Camping – Especially These Six Venomous Species (Part 1)

After Qingming Festival, the weather gradually warms up, and snakes and insects in mountain forests become more active. Whether you live near rural fields or enjoy weekend hiking and camping trips, in addition to guarding against mosquito bites, you should also be alert to the appearance of various snakes – especially the top six most venomous snakes ranked by national statistics on snakebite incidents.

NO.1 Many-banded Krait (31.7%)

Also known as the Red-tailed Green Bamboo Viper, Bamboo Pit Viper, or Green Bamboo Snake, it belongs to the Viperidae family and is the most common and numerous small to medium-sized venomous snake in Taiwan, with hemorrhagic venom. The Many-banded Krait has a triangular head, a body color of emerald green or grass green, and a brick-red tail tip. It has good camouflage but is highly aggressive and has a very high probability of biting. However, due to its relatively weak toxicity, the fatality rate is about 1–2%.

NO.2 Hundred Pacer (23.3%)

Commonly known as the Ironhead Viper, it belongs to the Viperidae family. There are three types of Hundred Pacers in Taiwan (Hundred Pacer, Alishan Hundred Pacer, and Kikuchi’s Hundred Pacer). They have hemorrhagic venom and are the species with the longest fangs and highest venom yield among Taiwanese snakes. They are highly aggressive, and the fatality rate after a bite is 8%. The Hundred Pacer has a triangular head and a yellowish-brown body covered with large black patches edged with thin yellow lines. There is also a slender dark brown stripe behind the eyes. It mainly inhabits mountainous areas and cultivated land, and can also be found near abandoned or farm buildings where mice are available.

NO.3 Chinese Cobra (13.2%)

Also known as the Spectacled Cobra or Rice Paddle Head, it belongs to the Elapidae family. It is a medium to large venomous snake with neurotoxic venom. Its body color is brown or dark brown, and its head is oval-shaped. When excited or angry, its neck expands into a flat hood, and it emits a hissing sound, making it a very distinctive species. The Chinese Cobra’s venom is second only to that of the Many-banded Krait and can cause nerve paralysis, but it usually does not attack humans proactively.