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To be human nature to assume that our refined bodies with highly developed brains and dexterous numbers are the pinnacle of evolution, but there is a reason that snakes our imaginations and fears have continued to populate throughout history and in virtually every civilization. Snakes evolved millions of years earlier mammals, and they posed a particularly dangerous threat to these warm-blooded animals because they were ideal ambush predators: both harmless and fast. Their form factor allowed them to easily blend into almost any environment and move quickly without notice. And that simplicity of design — coupled with their uniquely hinged jaws — produced a predator that could prey on animals seemingly well outside its weight class.
Today, green anacondas can eat anything from the wild deer domesticated sheep. But with the introduction of venom, snakes killed even the largest animals with their bite. An increasing body of research indicates that primates developed more sophisticated eyesight because of the threats posed by snakes, and we seem to share an innate genetic aversion to snakes with our fellow primates.
In turn, snakes evolved their adaptations, and natural selection tended to prioritize adaptations that maximize that inherent benefit of speed. As pure carnivores that also ambush predators, any slight change in attack speed can make all the difference between sliding home with a full belly or potentially being stomped on or clawed to death. Ground speed was often less important, especially in species that had the advantage of good camouflage. But it’s only natural that many snakes saw their environment sharpen their already agile bodies with new benefits. Since there are over 3,000 snake species with populations on every continent except Antarctica, these adaptations are quite diverse. Few of us need fear death from snakes like our ancestors did, but that doesn’t make these cold-blooded creatures any less impressive.
Here are eight of the fastest snakes in the world.
#8: Black Mamba — Africa’s fastest moving snakes
Ground Speed: 12 miles per hour
If 12 miles per hour doesn’t sound too fast compared to the record-setting sidewinder rattlesnake, imagine a 14-foot long snake running toward you at that speed. Because they are large and highly venomous, these snakes have few natural enemies, despite habitable environments ranging from grasslands to forests. The black mamba usually moves in sprints between the ground and low canopies, if possible using a dipping motion that is unique to most snakes and especially stunning given the sheer size of this giant snake. As long as they can sneak up on it, prey please squirrels and mice rarely stand a chance. That’s because the black mamba combines that exceptional ground speed with a venom poisonous enough to kill a human with just two drops.
#7: Common Death Adder – Australia’s fastest striking snakes
Stroke rate: 100 milliseconds
When we said that few people think about snake bites every day these days, we weren’t talking about Australia. The Death Adder has earned its name because it combines adept camouflage, highly poisonous venom and an incredibly fast bite. In just a tenth of a second, the Common Death Adder can inject their venom and return their jaw to the active attack position. While more than half of the venomous attacks on humans will result in death if left untreated, about half of the bites are dry bites and there is an antidote. Death Adder habitats span much of eastern and southern Australia, where their ambush tactics pose a serious threat to prey such as rodents. Ironically, it could also contribute to the low incidence of common death adder attacks on humans. Death Adders have no interest in humans, and their proficient skills as hunters mean humans will rarely stalk them.
#6: Southern Black Racer – the world’s fastest non-venomous snakes
Ground Speed: 8-10 miles per hour
Constrictors are typically some of the slowest snake species on Earth, but the southern black racer is too small and its ambitions too big to let it lie in wait and slowly squeeze its prey to death. Instead, it will use its speed and momentum to pin prey to the ground or trees and suffocate them rather than wrapping their bodies completely around them. That land speed is also a necessity to avoid predators. Racers have developed great talents for climbing and swimming, as well as sprinting, but hawks have developed keen eyesight and both the momentum and accuracy to pull a black racer straight up. That’s not to say the black racer can’t fight. Researchers have observed cases where: great horned owls were strangled by racers, who in turn died from injuries inflicted by the owl’s claws.
#5: Yellow Bellied Sea Snake – The fastest snakes in the water
Speed on the water: 2.5 miles per hour
All snakes can swim, but the yellow-bellied sea snake is one of several species that have adapted to live in the water for their entire lives. Its yellow and black pattern makes it stand out on the waves, but that seems of little importance to this snake that has n
o discernible predators. They also have the widest distribution of any other snake species, with habitats extending across both the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. Still, it’s rare for people to come across one thanks to the deeper waters they prefer to swim in. That’s a good thing, like sea snake venom is very poisonous. The yellow-bellied sea snake hunts for prey consisting almost entirely of fish, and they have adapted to the salty waters they inhabit thanks to an ingenious evolution that makes it possible to filter fresh water from the salty ocean surface.
#4: King Cobra – The Snakes With The Fastest Deadly Venom
Time to kill a human: 30 minutes
The longest poisonous snake in the world is such a deadly killer that they have preyed on other cobras. Their venom is a unique mix of different poisons – but they can inject about a quarter of an ounce into their victims with their needle-sharp teeth. Few animals have immunity to this toxin, meaning the king cobra has few natural enemies. An exception is the mongoose, a feisty little mammal known for its face to the king cobra. Mongoose is usually three feet long, while king cobras can reach a staggering 18 feet in length. Mongoose is not immune to the venom that cobras produce, but they do have a resistance that allows them to stay in the fight even if they are a little bit. Both animals are lightning fast and a fight on land can go either way.
#3: Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake – The Fastest Strike Rate In America
Stroke speed: 2.95 meters per second
It’s not always necessary for ambush predators to achieve high movement speeds on land, but a fraction of a millisecond can mean the difference between life and death. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake’s fangs can span over six feet in less than a second, and it can extend up to two-thirds of its entire body length. A fight is not what this snake is looking for. Once its prey is injected with venom, the diamondback lets it wander to die and follow at its leisure. Mammal prey can range in size from mice to rabbits. The rattle serves as a way to warn potential predators before they strike.
#2: Rat Snake – The fastest attack speed of a non-venomous snake
Stroke speed: 2.67 meters per second
Stroke rate can make a big difference for venomous snakes that need to inject their prey with a single bite – but the science journalism community is more interested in why a snake that produces no venom and constricts its prey to death would need a stroke rate. of almost that of a diamond back. It may contradict common beliefs about how venomous and non-venomous snakes evolved together, but it makes sense when you consider that the constriction process can kill prey in just seconds. It reminds us that predators and prey are in a constant evolutionary arms race — and it’s a race often measured in fractions of a second.
#1: Sidewinder – the world’s fastest moving snakes
Ground speed: 18 miles per hour
The crosswind rattlesnake’s unique way of moving is critical to achieving its incredible top speed, but scientists had to build a robot to learn how the fastest snakes worked on land. Most hoses take advantage of scales that can grip surfaces and provide traction in essentially the same way as the treads on a car’s tires. But sidewinders occupy the Sonoran and Mojave deserts everywhere Mexico and the American Southwest. Here, the steep dunes and rugged sand provide the challenge a family sedan needs for off-road racing in the desert. Instead of digging in the sand, as researchers originally supposed, they instead adjusted their angle to press as much of their bodies against the sand as possible. It’s a tactic that keeps even the highest dune stable and lets the sidewinder keep as much “rubber on the road” as possible. Ideally, rattlesnakes don’t even need to chase their prey. They are ambush predators that hide up to their necks in sand.
Next one: 13 products made from honey (some will surprise you!)
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