Snake Island where no human is allowed to visit is home to species much more lethal than average snake
Given how dark and miserable it is outside, the idea of visiting a scenic island off the coast of Brazil seems pretty good right now.
But if you plan on nipping away for some sunshine in the New Year, I'd probably avoid Ilha de Queimada Grande, better known as 'Snake Island'.
It's considered to be one of the most dangerous acreages on the planet and humans aren't actually allowed to visit without proper clearance.
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Just 106-acres in size, Queimada Grande is home to an estimated 4,000 snakes, including the deadliest species around.
And despite what you might think if you go into the island's Street View on Google Maps, you won't see a massive snake in the middle of the road.
However, this particular type of snake is a venomous pit viper - and is exclusive to Snake Island.
The golden lancehead's (also known as the Bothrops insularis) venom alone is truly deadly and it helps them feed primarily on birds, lizards and other small animals.
A fully grown snake typically ranges from 70 to 118 cm (28 to 46 inches) in length, with their pale yellow bodies often being marked with brown, leaf-shaped patterns, according to JungleDragon.com.
However, the species is listed as critically endangered.
Tara Brown of 60 Minutes Australia, who visited the island in 2019, said: "The golden lanceheads do not exist anywhere else but on Queimada Grande.
"Their isolation has given them some evolutionary quirks. They're five times more poisonous than their mainland cousins and they hunt and eat birds.
"They may be some of the most venomous creatures on the planet but the real threat is to them, not us.
"As idyllic as Snake Island might seem for snakes, its isolation is no guarantee protection for its unique inhabitants.
"Land clearing on the mainland is reducing the number of birds that used to stop here on their migration path. Fewer birds means less food and less food ultimately means less snakes."
But if you were to encounter a snake in the woods, an expert has said they are realistically unlikely to harm you - but only under one condition.
Whit Gibbons, a renowned herpetologist who has been studying snakes for over 60 years, told UGA Today: "When you walk through the woods, many more snakes see you than how many times you see them.
"They don’t want to be seen. We have done various studies that showed you can walk past a coiled-up rattlesnake, and it won’t move at all.
"It’s like picking a fight they don’t want to pick. Snakes care nothing about us unless we become a threat."
That's great Whit, but I will not be taking any chances.
Anish Vij