The most deadly snakes of India, venomous Big 4 - cobra, Russell's viper, krait, Saw-scaled viper

🐍BECOME A MEMBER!!! / livingzoology
🐍BUY YOUR LIVING ZOOLOGY MERCHANDISE HERE: living-zoology...
India is home to about 300 snake species. About 30 species are dangerously venomous, but only 4 are very famous for causing many snakebites - the Spectacled cobra (Naja naja), the Russell's viper (Daboia russelii), the Common krait (Bungarus caeruleus) and the Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus). In this video we show all 4 species of the Big 4 and one extra species - the Hump-nosed pit viper (Hypnale hypnale). The concept of Big 4 of India is outdated nowadays and snakebite is a very complex problem in this country. There are more venomous snake species contributing to the human-snake conflict.

[@davidhowse884]

Very interesting film. Some of the snakes in the introduction, not in the big four, looked like they had very distinguished markings and deserved a video as lesser known Indian snakes.

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much! We have more footage of those species and we will certainly make some videos about them 🙂

[@Gaspingindeath]

Gorgeous footage of these amazing animals, and great info too. Thank you!

[@LivingZoology]

Our pleasure! Great that you love the quality of our content and the provided information!

[@Intrud0r]

Really cool video, great footage, I also love the sounds in the background.

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much! Great that you also appreciate the sounds we record! :)

[@TheTrueBhartiya8888]

Beautiful Cinematography 😍😍 Thanks a lot for saving human being and wildlife 🙏🏻🙏🏻 Great work.

[@LivingZoology]

So nice of you! Thank you for watching our videos!

[@RM-mm4jr]

Got caught up with work so watching this late. Such an excellent video, just as all your other videos are. I really REALLY appreciate that there's no music. Just the wonderful sounds of nature n life. Thank you for these fantastic uploads 💖 From Australia

[@LivingZoology]

No worries! We are happy that you came to watch :) It is great to hear that you prefer the sounds of nature! Greetings from the Czech Republic!

[@michaeljoseph3519]

i love your stuff...always so beautifully crafted and serene, im left feeling relaxed and slightly more intelligent! 😎

[@LivingZoology]

We are glad that you enjoy watching our content! :)

[@michaeljoseph3519]

its a pleasure.. @@LivingZoology

[@jaimeortega4940]

As usual the very best in quality filming! No one is even close to you guys. And your short informative information on the animals is fantastic for the lay person!🐍💁

[@LivingZoology]

Wow, thanks! We are very happy that you think that our content is so good!

[@sarkar5325]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="994">16:34</a> Cuteness overloaded 😊❤... Such a class...such distinction....

[@LivingZoology]

Yes, cuteness and majesty! 😊

[@mattmc9812]

Always enjoy your films guys

[@jeromebarlet8573]

Great footage ...as usual !!!

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much! 🙏

[@ВалерийЛесенчук]

Как всегда отлично снято. Спасибо Большое!

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much!

[@baghbahadur]

Another beautiful video.

[@LivingZoology]

@@baghbahadur Thank you very much!

[@glennhynes5263]

Stunningly beautiful. Watch out for vipers, cobras and kraits....got it.

[@LivingZoology]

Thanks for watching! Yes, be careful when you walk in nature!

[@shaunoliverii8961]

What a gorgeous video! I can't wait for next video, especially the one about the Indian rock python, and the truth about the original Jungle Book!

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you so much! There will be a video about the Indian rock python 🙂

[@welshskies]

Fascinating statistics. I thought the conventional thinking was that Echis Carinatus was very a serious bite problem but this data suggests that Daboia russelii is the most common cause of serious envenomations. In sub-Saharan Africa Bitis arietans is regarded as the most common cause of serious bites and I think it is interesting that in many ways the two species fill similar ecological niches and share many characteristics. I have heard that the cheapest and most effective way of reducing snake bites is to give every rural household a wind-up torch. 🔦

[@LivingZoology]

Yes, the Russell's viper is probably the most dangerous snake on Earth! Number of bites from the Saw-scaled viper is much smaller than people think. Actually, in many parts of India this snake is not very common, yet in some books their range covers almost the whole state. In North and West Africa the situation is different, there are more species from the genus Echis and they cause many bites, probably together more than the Puff adder. Give people a torch, good shoes and tell them again and again that they should keep surroundings of their houses clean and there will be 50 % less snakebites!

[@welshskies]

@@LivingZoology I once read that it may be rural people without indoor sanitation nipping outside for a pee at night that often leads to viper bites, a torch would help that. We used to get puff adders in the garden when I was a teenager near Mombasa.

[@LivingZoology]

That is probably one of the scenarios when many people get bitten, yes!

[@FischerFan]

With the possible exception of South Africa - where the Cape Cobra is a common hazard - more often than not, when someone in Africa is bitten by a venomous snake, the puff adder is the guilty party. Living Zoology is free to correct me on this, but the puff adder is usually responsible for a staggering 60 per cent of the snake bites in Africa. The snake is geographically widespread, is adaptable, well camouflaged and, next to the death adders of Australia and New Guinea, probably has the fastest strike of all venomous snakes in the world.

[@LivingZoology]

@@FischerFan Mozambique spitting cobras bite many people in South Africa too. In general, most bites are caused by the Puff adder, several species of carpet vipers and cobras.

[@richabora8609]

I'm a zoology student and your videos are very helpful.... Thanks for uploading such videos keep doing your best and may almighty bless you always 💞💞

[@LivingZoology]

It's our pleasure! Thank you for watching our content. Where do you study? 🙂

[@richabora8609]

@@LivingZoology i live in Assam from india and I'm doing my degree from Nowgaon University

[@LivingZoology]

@@richabora8609 Amazing! You are the first person who studies zoology in Assam we know now! 🙂 Good luck with your studies!

[@richabora8609]

@@LivingZoology thanks a lot and best wishes to you also keep doing your best ❤️

[@DiscoveryDuniya]

I didn't know about the "Hump Nosed Viper". Thank you ❤

[@LivingZoology]

Happy that you learned something new from our video!

[@poornasnusha03]

Beautiful taken and clear information 😊

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you! 🙂

[@markboyle9941]

I think these are all beautiful snakes, but the saw-scale steals the show. Its such a beautiful little creature. Love the amazing "triangular" cross-section of the kraits, why is it that they have evolved this particular body structure?

[@LivingZoology]

We agree that those tiny Saw-scaled vipers are cuties! The body shape in kraits probably does not have any particular advantage, some traits in nature simply appear by chance and not as adaptation.

[@calrob300]

I have heard/read of an association between triangular body shape and snakes which eat other snakes, although this is obviously not always true. My California King also has a rather triangular shape, and they are snake eaters. Anyone know of any others?

[@daretoknowbaba]

Very interesting. I learned a lot of things about venomous snakes

[@LivingZoology]

Glad to hear that! 🙂

[@enricogrizzlerpavan]

Creature Affascinanti 😻 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Grazie per il Video 💪💪💪🫶👍

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much for watching!

[@vijgokondkar7628]

Appreciate informative,good quality video,no music is a good idea.

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much! Great that you love our video!

[@petrnovak3445]

Zdravím zase fantastické záběry a s Echis z Pákistánu už jsem měl vlastní zkušenosti ne z odchovem 22 ks ale jedna mi podojila palec tak zatím jediné ušknutí od hada takzvaně lidskou blbostí jinak Echis v Africe klade vejce v Asii je vejcoživorodá a jed se mění od kilometru díky s pozdravem Petr.

[@LivingZoology]

Zdravíme, děkujeme za sledování! Kousnutí od echisky muselo být velice nepříjemné!

[@amitabhshrivastava9074]

Beautiful Documentary!

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much, please share it so we reach a larger audience!

[@benpietrzykowski9216]

Fantastic stuff . This is high level KZbin

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much, we appreciate it! 🙏❤️

[@robinbhairosingh7487]

Wow very lovely to see that very nice job 🇹🇹🇹🇹😍😍😍😍😍💕💕💕💕💕

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much! 🙏🙏🙂🐍❤️

[@m00nsplitter72]

Beautifully filmed, as expected! Did you get to Chennai and meet Rom Whittaker, the father of the 'big four' concept?

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much! We haven't been to Chennai yet unfortunately!

[@charlesgrotticelli2946]

Very educational. I've seen another video by a famous snake handler. And he posted the same big 4 snakes in India and how to protect from getting bitten. Also a very educational video. Keep up the good work.

[@LivingZoology]

So nice of you! Great that you love our video!

[@MrGriser]

Here's what I can tell you Indian/Speckled Cobra: Feisty and quick to bite when disturbed best left well alone as is most other species. Russel's Viper: Unpredictable I know people have told there is a reason why snakes are like this but as with the Fer De Lance this snake not only posses highly toxic venom but often lashes out for no apparent reason hence greatly feared! Common Krait: I'd say the friendliest of them but still deadly and can kill you in your sleep. Carpet/Saw Scaled Viper: The nastiest of any venomous snake you could meet posses a highly toxic venom and is extremely feisty, aggressive and readily bites they are the reason why you fear snakes!

[@LivingZoology]

No snake is aggressive, these reptiles are only defensive when they feel threatened. Most bites happen as accidents and because people don't use proper shoes, they don't use torch at night and they have mess around their houses.

[@G-Pabbu]

I don't know if you can use the word "aggressive " as in humans, but yes vipers get ready in their striking stance when in that similar situation a cobra would either slither away or just threaten you with its hood. Saw scaled viper is the fastest biting snake in the world in terms of striking speed. While most Russell bites happen due to people's mistake of stepping or getting too close, when the snake didn't realize ur presence first. But if it realizes ur presence , it is already in attacking stance even if u r feets away , so is saw scaled viper. Also because some vipers nature is to Ambush. So vipers seeming more aggressive means that they feel more threatened easily compared to cobras. Kraits feel too timid to even get close to , but beware they can spend their entire stamina in just one leap to reach you if they intend to bite you. They have such spring though they prolly won't spring until you pick it up on its tail or something.

[@mattmc9812]

Some snakes are far more defensive then other snakes though.

[@exfolios]

I disagree. Some snakes retreat quickly when you walk by them unknowingly. Some don’t retreat but strike quickly without you even knowing there’s a snake there. These are snakes with a different temperament, and, rhetorics and definitions aside, these are snakes that are more dangerous.

[@MrGriser]

@@exfolios Rattlesnakes are a good example.

[@ArmaniStudio]

Great film

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much!

[@johnschlesinger2009]

Thanks for another beautiful video. The statistics you came up with are quite contrary to what has been so often stated: I have long been under the impression that echis caused the highest number of fatalities. Daboia doesn't surprise me - the venom is very nasty, almost certainly the worst bite of all in terms of sheer suffering.

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you! Yes, the Saw-scaled viper is actually not very common in many regions of India and cobras or kraits bite more people. However, the genus Echis causes many bites worldwide, especially in Africa.

[@punithkumar6330]

Saw scaled viper very rare in India King cobra Spectacled cobra Monocled cobra Common krait Banded krait Russell's viper And some species of pit vipers Non venomous in India Rat snake Checkered kheelback Common wolf snake Common trinket Mildly venomous in India Green vine snake Forestern cat snake

[@LivingZoology]

There are regions of India where the Saw-scaled viper is common.

[@owenunderwood5000]

Greatest Statistics they’ll only bite when too provoked at very last response & to say all have independent venom properties & it seems very obviously adapting well in human landscapes & this means more people of contact of fear. I always wait for your videos they’re inspiring & important for education people 🐍

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much for watching our videos! As you say, snakes mostly bite when they feel cornered and they cannot escape.

[@johnjugall]

very educational.

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much for watching!

[@rajmukesh77]

Awesome 👍👍👍

[@LivingZoology]

Thanks 🤗 Great that you love this video!

[@motherslittlehelper8055]

Let us not forget: snakes are not evil beings out there to hurt us. If they weren't here, many more people could die from starvation caused by rodents and other animals than from snake bites. And the deficiency of medical care in India should have been sorted out decades ago. somehow the largest so called democracy of the world isn't able to take care of her kin. let nobody blame the snakes

[@LivingZoology]

We agree, snakes have their role in nature and they don’t want to come into confrontation with humans at all!

[@krishnenduray1758]

agree with u ..but in one case have diff opinion ..common krait ..they attack without provocation .

[@ECC-ec]

excellent video

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you very much! 🙏

[@ARNash-uh2dj]

Superb....

[@LivingZoology]

Thanks 🤗

[@jammycheeran9242]

Beautiful snake from my home country 😊 you guy’s been kerala right??

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you! We were in Karnataka, Jharkand and Uttarakhand.

[@atifjavied3226]

My favorite animal is Snakes most favorite Kingcobra

[@LivingZoology]

Awesome that you like snakes!

[@thomasharhen2168]

This is a great channel, but if you guys put audio to the video it would gather more subscribers 100% ❤❤❤

[@LivingZoology]

That is not the case :) Many of our viewers love that we don't have narration in our videos. But do you know that we also create long narrated documentaries? kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5u6f3aNgrl1oLs

[@ravencrow1618]

no music please, just natural sounds are enough

[@LivingZoology]

@@ravencrow1618 Don’t worry, we will keep only natural sounds 😉

[@thomasharhen2168]

@@ravencrow1618 not music but voice that goes with the texts

[@shauryaaviary]

Can arrange top 10 Deadliest snakes of india by there vemon and which one is more deadlier

[@LivingZoology]

Maybe in the future we will make a video like that.

[@vidyajayraj]

Hi make video on how to identify each of these snakes

[@LivingZoology]

We will make a separate video about each of them.

[@johnbrand1893]

Fascinating video full of important stats regarding the ‘big 4’ snakes 🐍 in India 🇮🇳 and some. India must be second in line to Australia 🇦🇺 for the most dangerous country to live in regarding man’s confrontation with wildlife.

[@LivingZoology]

We are happy that you like our video! India is definitely more dangerous than Australia when it comes to human-animal conflict!

[@markrumfola9833]

Gotta be there

[@LivingZoology]

Great, you will enjoy watching! 🙂

[@snakerescueteam498]

Deadly venomous snakes of India 🙏

[@LivingZoology]

Yes, thanks for watching!

[@shivammaurya9200]

Most of the snake bite deaths happen because of misconceptions about snakes among people, especially in rural areas. Instead of approaching a doctor ASAP, people start home remedies and superstitious practices.

[@LivingZoology]

Yes, that is a big problem! Many people die just because they don’t go straight to a hospital.

[@TheGremlinOfChaos]

i cant believe the sawscaled is that dangerous, it has to cute of a face. Nature really loves throwing cute things under the "danger" category

[@LivingZoology]

It is a small and cute snake species, but it has a very potent venom!

[@FischerFan]

One of the characteristics that makes the saw-scaled viper dangerous is its disposition. It has a short fuse and is always ready for a fight. The experiences of two famed herpetologists can substantiate this. Sherman Minton, author of the superb book, 'Venomous Reptiles', was in Pakistan on one occasion and was pursued by a saw-scaled viper for a distance of about 30 feet. The snake struck at his boots repeatedly. Then, of the 173 snakebites survived by famed herpetologist Bill Haast, the one that came closest to killing him was from a saw-scaled viper from the Middle East. He was being treated with anti-venom and appeared to be on his death bed when The White House took action and arranged to have a more specific anti-venom smuggled out of Iran! After being administered, he finally began to stabilize. People often have this false sense of security that, because a snake is small and one is unimpressed with its lack of size, that it cannot be life-threatening. This has also been a factor when people in Australia and New Guinea are bitten by death adders.

[@MuthuKumar_123]

I really like that hump nosed pit viper.im in india but i dont know these snakes actually in india.i only saw spectacled cobra,some rat snakes (which will runs like a jet when it saw me😅) in my area.and i think i saw russell viper once(we saw it in our college.we thought it was a python due to its head size.but now i think it will also be a russell viper.who knows🤷‍♂️.)

[@LivingZoology]

The Hump-nosed pit viper lives in southern India. Thanks for watching!

[@MuthuKumar_123]

​@@LivingZoologyoh great!thanks for the info❤.

[@suthanBCA]

❤❤❤

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you!

[@shubhamvashishtha7036]

Can someone tell me the name of this snake <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="180">3:00</a> I have seen this brown colour snake near my house.

[@LivingZoology]

It is a young Spectacled cobra.

[@tharunk8113]

കാനനവാസാ കലിയുഗവരതാ 🎉

[@LivingZoology]

Thanks for watching!

[@victorcarbino8736]

I've often wondered if "The Big Four" groups monocled cobras with spectacled cobras, because, based on Indian snake rescue channels, there appears to be a lot of monocled cobra there. And, given that they have a reputation for being more aggressive than spectacled cobras, they probably bite a lot of people.

[@LivingZoology]

The Monocled cobra lives only in the eastern part of India. It is not part of the Big 4, but it causes many bites. As we said in the video, the Big 4 concept is outdated and there are more species which should get the attention.

[@victorcarbino8736]

@@LivingZoology I'm still waiting for your video on the differences between monocled and spectacled cobras.

[@LivingZoology]

@@victorcarbino8736 Well, we will need to visit India again and target a different location. We were in Jjarkand this year and we only got one Monocled cobra, which was stuck in a well for a long time and it was not in the best condition.

[@victorcarbino8736]

@@LivingZoology I hope you get the footage one day.

[@LivingZoology]

@@victorcarbino8736 We hope so too!

[@JulliusEnalpe]

Another nation not king Cobra..it's like that one name king Cobra dangerous and venomous snake of the world

[@LivingZoology]

???

[@go2wildlife908]

Why not king cobra includ big 4 India........ Bite case very rare report 🙄🙄🙄

[@LivingZoology]

The answer to your question is in our video…

[@qzorn4440]

Wow. like time at a standstill. So much trash and lots of snakes. 👽

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you for watching.

[@mirahmedalikhan7055]

Three vipers ..1 .. Russell viper.. 2. Saw scale viper .. 3 .. Pit viper ....

[@LivingZoology]

In the original concept there are only two vipers.

[@mirahmedalikhan7055]

@@LivingZoology what are they ..

[@LivingZoology]

@@mirahmedalikhan7055 If you watch the video, you will know.

[@benpietrzykowski9216]

Reason number 1 I’ll never go to India . I know I’m missing out on new expierences, but I’m good on India and Australia

[@LivingZoology]

If you don’t look specifically for snakes, you rarely see them.

[@jeffoff7795]

Why is it that there are between 50k and 60k deaths annually in India when there are only 2 or 3 in Australia? Does it have to do with the temperaments of India's venomous snakes? Population density? Different healthcare systems? Antivenom availability? That's a huge contrast.

[@fazlerabbilinkon2222]

It's mostly because of superstation. Indian subcontinent people have tendency to go to shamon/ojha instead of doctors in case of snake bite. Most of them doesn't even know that antivenom exists! Another reason is snake habitat. Indians people are used to living in close of nature, jungles.

[@LivingZoology]

The biggest differences are the population density in India and Australia, different healtcare system and availability of antivenom. You probably understand it: India has too many people, not enough antivenom and the healthcare system has many issues. Australia is on the opposite side of the spectrum.

[@rajubasuvu7548]

What is % of the Bites by King Cobra in India.???

[@LivingZoology]

Bites from King cobras are very rare, so probably close to 0%.

[@rajubasuvu7548]

@@LivingZoology Thank You for the Reply 👍

[@vishvajeetsinh_solanki]

just a question to the rescuers (only rescuers). what do you guys do after rescuing a snake in a bag shown here with a triangular shape stick? because it is risky to take that bag on vehicle like a bike.

[@emhadaffa8590]

Not an Indian but I'm snake rescuers from Indonesia and we use similar method, so maybe I can help. In case of non-venomous snakes, we can just knot the bag and tie it to bike. But in case of venomous snakes, we usually insert the bag to the larger plastic container box (with some little holes for air circulation) for more safety. If there are no bags, we usually improvised with anything that can found. For example like plastic bottles (depends on the size of the snake).

[@LivingZoology]

If you have a venomous snake in a bag, put the bag into a plastic or wooden box. We sometimes put smaller snake bags into a backpack and put some clothes around. You need to be careful not to put your hand inside the backpack while there is a bag with a venomous snake!

[@salimtadavi1014]

😅😅😊😊👍👍👍👍😎🦂

[@vinodhm81]

👍

[@LivingZoology]

Thanks for watching!

[@newworldlove7031]

Why do people walk around in sandles and flip flops!! IF they wore proper knee high boots then they would not get bitten.

[@LivingZoology]

Education is the key! Wearing proper shoes can save lives!

[@nikhilbk4]

❤❤

[@LivingZoology]

Thank you!

[@Ironblood108]

In India people die due to snake bite because here we do not have more knowledge of which species is and can't get the right anti-venom...the documentaries provide a large knowledge...

[@LivingZoology]

We try to educate as many Indian as possible! 🙂🤞

[@Ironblood108]

@@LivingZoology 👍👍

[@LivingZoology]

@@Ironblood108 Thanks!

[@vbnet2379]

bhaii 4 nahi jayda kaho😂🤣 sala Nila,pila,lal Esa verity me bhi avta hai naa...

[@LivingZoology]

👍👍

[@poeda6637]

it's 0,004% of the population. Compared to other causes of death it does not seem to be a very high percentage.

[@LivingZoology]

Can you give us some numbers for other causes of deaths? About 50,000 dead from snakebites is an official number. There will be maybe up to 50 % more deaths in total, in rural areas, out of record. Also, many people loose a finger, an arm or a leg and they cannot work properly until the rest of their lives. Snakebite is a serious problem. Of course, more people die on roads, but that means we should not care about the human-snake conflict?

[@outofturn331]

Logic rules, until we are affected

[@fitpack113]

Can Indian cobra kill krait?

[@LivingZoology]

Indian cobras eat other snakes sometimes so they can eat a smaller krait. We think it is possible, we just cannot think of any report or photos showing such a scene.