Rarest snakes in the world you won’t believe actually exist
Summary
Top 20 rarest snakes in the world you won’t believe actually exist .Snakes are pretty common creatures in most parts of the world. We tend to spend so much time fearing them that we don’t always appreciate their beauty. We’ve […]
Top 20 rarest snakes in the world you won’t believe actually exist .Snakes are pretty common creatures in most parts of the world. We tend to spend so much time fearing them that we don’t always appreciate their beauty. We’ve gathered examples of some of the most extraordinary and rare snake species. Here are the top 22 rarest snakes in the world you won’t believe actually exist.
Video: Rarest snakes in the world you won’t believe actually exist
The St. Lucia racer snake
Located on a tropical Caribbean island 800 meters off the St. Lucia mainland, this relatively small, nonvenomous snake was once abundant but was sadly decimated when small Asian mongooses were introduced into the island. This small ground-dwelling snake that evolved without any natural predators did not have any defense mechanisms, and so the introduction of invasive animals made it one of the rarest snakes in the world.
Video: Rarest snakes in the world you won’t believe actually exist
Paradise flying snake
These rare reptile species can be found in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. Despite their names, paradise flying snakes, much like flying squirrels, actually glide through the air rather than flying like birds. They climb trees and fling themselves off. Amazing, yes! Well, even though paradise flying snakes are the best gliders and can travel as far as 330 feet through the air, these guys seem to be endangered because they are among the smallest of their genus.
The Antiguan racer
This is a brown, non-venomous snake, usually docile and very easy to handle. Due to aggressive conservation, this formally rare snake has miraculously come back. Although the numbers have slightly increased, it’s still not enough to be removed from the list of endangered species. Previously living on a small island of Bermuda, the Antiguan racer was wiped out after the introduction of the mongoose and black rat.
The Wagner’s viper
Endemic to eastern Turkey, Wagner’s viper is a venomous viper species that is only active during the day and occupies dry, warm slopes where temperatures fall at night. It’s a rare snake that went extinct for almost 140 years and was unbelievably rediscovered in 1983 in eastern Turkey. After the viper collectors nearly wiped out this rare Turkish snake, the Saint Louis zoo helped to save it by incorporating them into their breeding program; unfortunately, there have been no updates of new babies being born since 2013, making it one of the rarest snakes in the world.
The short-nosed sea snake
With a name derived from its small head and short snout, the sahul reef snake is a critically endangered species of venomous sea snake. Found on the northern coast of Western Australia, this rare reptile prefers sandy areas of the reefs with shallow waters and can live up to 10 years. The reason for this snake’s disappearance from its habitat is unknown, but it has been hypothesized that coral degradation may have been a major factor.
The bush viper
Among the top ten rarest snakes in the world is the bush viper, a small snake with a big bite! They are mainly found in the tropical sub-Saharan Africa, and most species have isolated and fragmented distributions due to their confinement to rain forests. Also called the spiny bush viper or hairy bush viper, this venomous species is commonly known for its extremely keeled dorsal scales that give it a bristly appearance and its capability of climbing reeds and stalks.
The Alcatrazes lance head
Lance heads are known to be the most dangerous snakes in the world, and the Alcatrazes isn’t an exception. Scary, yeah! Well, the good news is this lancehead variety is so rare you may never run into one in the wild. At a certain point during evolution, these snakes got limited access to food; hence their ancestors shrunk over time. They are relatively small snakes that grow up to 20 inches; their eyes, however, are abnormally large. This pit viper is only found on the Alcatrazes Island, located just off the Brazilian coast.
California red-sided garter snake
The Californian red-sided garter snake is a subspecies of the common garter snake, a species of natricine snake that is indigenous to North America and widely distributed across the continent. This snake has a red or orange head and a blue underside, though it can vary depending on the geographical location of the snake, and it is referred to as the coolest and most interesting snake on the planet. Well, every species of this snake has a preferred source of food, and they are specialized to something specifically.
The Aruba Island rattlesnake
One of the amazing ten rarest snakes is the Aruba island rattlesnake; it is a critically endangered species native to the Caribbean island of Aruba off the coast of Venezuela. This medium-sized snake has a light brown body with distinctive pink, blue, and brown diamond-shaped markings. It feeds mainly on rodents, birds, and lizards. This snake is unfortunately threatened by encroaching human development. The introduction of non-native species to their ecosystem also reduced the island’s vegetation, further reducing its habitat.
Pinterest Barbados thread snake
Unrecognized as a serpent anymore is this world’s tiniest and most adorable snake; it can curl up to a quarter. First described by Blair Hedges in 2008, this snake is named after the Caribbean island of Barbados, where it was first discovered. The Barbados thread snake is said to have a pretty narrow diet because its mouth can barely open and is limited to taking in the eggs and larva of ants and termites.The species is believed to be rare because most of its habitat is replaced by human settlement.
The spider-tailed viper
Which is scarier, the spider or the snake? It must be this spider-tailed horned viper, a rare snake that lives in western Iran. Its tail has a bulb-like end covered with long scales. It tricks its prey into coming closer in just 0.2 seconds by waving its tail. National Geographic reported that the tail was said to be a birth defect when it was first discovered in 1968, and the viper wasn’t formally identified as a new species until 2006. Beware of spiders in your house; it could be this elaborate predatory lure! Camouflaging as a spider!
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The red-headed krait
Does the color red still signify danger? Oh yes! and nature wasn’t lying when it gave this snake a red head. Not only is it the rarest snake in the world, but it’s also exceptionally venomous. Native to the southeast of Asia, the red-headed krait is generally considered uncommon. It’s nocturnal and partially aquatic. It feeds on small mammals and reptiles like skinks, frogs, and lizards. The red-headed krait tends to stay away from people, so maybe that’s a good reason for it to keep its number high, but ha! It wont be able to inflict its deadly venom on people.
The white cobra
You will be so lucky if you stumble upon a white cobra, because you would have met one of the world’s rarest snakes. This is not a species of a snake; it is a regular cobra with a condition, albinism to be precise. With albinism, the cobra loses its pigmentation. White snakes are rare because not many of them are born, and if they are, only a few make it to adulthood. Imagine even the sun causes them to burn! So if you stumble across one, please wish it luck for the future because it needs it.
Double-headed snake
If a snake with one head is terrifying enough to melt you down, what if you met a double-headed snake? Take a look at this two-headed albino king snake that has attracted thousands of visitors. And if you thought one head has no IQ of its own, that’s far from the truth because the two heads try to operate differently and even compete for food. Two-headed snakes are indeed rare because they appear only once in fifty years. Sounds good, yeah! We suppose, because this isn’t a creature you want to meet every time in your backyard.
The orange snake
Sometimes it’s amazing when you imagine how people dedicate their time to some things! How on earth do you take a whole 15 years trying to breed a unique snake? When Brian Barczyk explained how it took 15 years to produce a brand new gene of rare orange snake, it was incredibly unbelievable. But maybe this new discovery was a great move for the scientists. Who knows! Unfortunately, the little ball python passed away before he could go to embrace it more and maybe display it to the world. Oh no!
Malagasy leaf-nosed snake
This is a uniquely shaped snake with secretive habits, one that you won’t come across during your regular movements. It’s very different from other snakes and has a flat, leaf-shaped snout and measures only 3 feet long. It hunts on a seat-and-wait basis; it hangs down on tree branches waiting for lizards and other delicious prey. It’s quite an uncommon snake and is unlikely to attack humans when you come across it. Lucky enough, their bite hurt but won’t kill you.
The elephant trunk snake
Forget about the deserts and the green leaves; a snake that lives in water like goldfish is here for you. The elephant trunk snake is a non-venomous aquatic snake native to Indonesia. Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Unfortunately, this unusual snake is likely to go extinct because it’s targeted for its delicate meat to satisfy the Asian food market and its skin too. If you are looking out for it, then it’s good to look out for their having loose skin, brown coloring, and a light yellow belly.
Saharan horned viper
Here comes a scary true story of a snake that could invade your dreams, cause nightmares, and even give you sleepless nights. This snake has cat-like eyes and horns like the devil himself; if that’s not enough to send you off, then nothing will! Native to the deserts of the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, the Saharan horned viper is a highly venomous snake whose bite can cause death. Legends have it that this species caused Cleopatra’s death. This satanic-looking serpent is pretty rare, and you may not encounter it unless you visit the Sahara, where it exists.
Tiger keelback snake
Finding a venomous snake is rare, but if you find one that is both venomous and poisonous, it is absolutely rare. The tiger keel snake is the only snake species in the world that carries the two characteristics. Maybe it should be at the top of our 2020 list of the rarest snakes in the world. Found in Russia, Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam, this snake eats poisonous toads and takes in the toxins, so when it bites you, you become poisonous as well. So if you find one, please run; no one wants this snake to spoil their day.
The green vine snake
From the tropical rainforests of South and Central America is this intriguing little vine creature that grows up to around 79 inches long. It’s bright green on the top and yellowish on the bottom and has gold eyes and a long green tongue. What a rare species! If that’s not unique enough, then its eyes that work together and focus on one thing at a time, unlike other snakes, will clinch the deal. It’s more aligned with humans than other reptiles. Ooh my, this is indeed a rare species!
Dragon Snake
Xenodermus javanicus, or the dragon snake, is a small and unique species of Colubrid snake renowned for its unusual but fascinating appearance. Also known as the Javan tubercle snake, Javan mud snake, and rough-backed litter snake, the reptile sometimes exhibits a particularly interesting behavior when handled: it will stiffen its entire body, as if it were instantaneously frozen.While dragon snakes are very reclusive by nature, they are incredible to observe when they come out during the night to hunt and explore.
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Red cobra
This medium-sized cobra attains lengths between 0.7 and 1.2 but may grow to a maximum length of around 1.5 meters in very rare cases. It is often thought of as an attractive species; it is usually bright salmon-red contrasted with a broad black throat band and subocular teardrop markings. However, the color of this species does have variation, which usually depends on where in Africa a particular specimen is found. For example, specimens from southern Kenya and northern Tanzania have an orange-red color, with a broad, dark blue or black throat band.
Which one is the most beautiful? What will you do if you find anyone in your house? Share your thoughts in the comment section.