During a trip to Costa Rica,
Michael Lovatt
began to experience
excruciating pain.
His eyes and gums
began to bleed
and his kidneys started to fail.
He hadn't noticed that
one of the world's
deadliest snakes had bitten him,
and he was on the brink of death.
but what snake
was it that bit Lovatt?
Hold on, my friend.
Not all snake venom
is the same.
Some have the ability
to destroy your circulatory system,
making you bleed
from every pore in your body.
Others attack your brain,
kill your tissues
and shut down your organs.
What they do have in common
is they can cause
a painful death.
That's why we prepared
a second batch
of these terrible
cold-blooded killers.
This extremely skilled snake
lives in West and Central Africa.
It’s able to swim,
kill fish
and climb trees
to hunt rodents and lizards.
It’s infamous
for slithering silently,
so it’s easy
to unknowingly cross its path.
Like other cobras,
they have a potent neurotoxic venom
that can cause drowsiness,
disorientation,
shock and death in just 30 minutes.
Because of their diet,
they are often close to water.
Use extreme caution
when walking near rivers and lakes.
If you hear hissing
or see one widening its hood,
back away slowly and leave them alone.
Don’t be fooled
by its beautiful green color
and slender body.
This killer could be the
end of you
before you even realize
you’ve been bitten.
They live in the savannahs
of sub-Saharan Africa.
Since they camouflage
themselves in trees
to hunt chameleons
and birds,
it’s easy for you to miss them on a hike.
They are among the few deadly snakes
that don’t have front fangs
but inject their venom through fangs
in the back of their mouth.
The Boomslang’s hemotoxic venom
is considered
the most potent in Africa.
It will destroy your red blood cells,
preventing clotting
while killing your organs
and making you bleed
from every orifice in your body.
If you have an encounter
that results in a bite,
seek medical attention immediately.
The bleeding is on the way.
This 2 m (7ft) assassin
has no fear of humans
and is considered
the most dangerous snake
on Australia’s east coast.
And you know,
almost anything
can kill you Down Under.
Their venom acts immediately,
causing paralysis,
convulsions,
internal bleeding, kidney damage
and muscle tissue death.
Unfortunately,
your only chance of survival
is to get the antivenom right away.
Never venture into coastal taipan territory
without a bottle of it in your pocket.
Allow me to introduce you
to the second most venomous snake
in the world.
And guess what, it also lives in Australia.
Sorry, mate.
Since there are
several species of brown snakes,
the eastern brown
can easily be confused
with its less dangerous cousins.
The best way to survive
is to know how to identify them.
Its mouth has a pinkish appearance,
and its back
will have a spotted pattern on top.
Play it safe.
Just avoid any brown snake,
Australian or not.
Remember our friend Michael?
During a walk in Costa Rica,
the Canadian man
was bitten by a fer-de-lance,
considered the most dangerous snake
in Central America.
Its name literally means
spearhead in French,
but it can cause even more damage.
No reptile in the Americas kills
more people than this 2 m (7 ft) snake.
It bites quickly,
so Michael thought
it was an ant
and paid no attention to it.
But a few hours later,
his gums and eyes
started to bleed.
His kidneys began to fail,
leaving him in agony.
Since he couldn’t
speak Spanish
he was unable to tell
medical professionals
exactly what was wrong,
he flew back to Canada.
There, doctors were able
to identify
that it was a fer-de-lance bite
from the symptoms
but couldn't believe
the 61-year-old survived
the trip back home.
Respect your surroundings
and never walk barefoot
on Central American beaches at night.
If you feel a sharp sting,
don't ignore it.
Find help as soon as you can.
It's not always possible
to get away from a deadly snake,
and this one gave
American soldiers nightmares
during the Vietnam War.
Do you recognize
this slithering serpent?
To find out what it is,
keep watching
How to Survive.