You've just been bitten
by a golden lancehead viper.
Within an hour,
you're going to die.
You need medical attention,
but you're all alone in the dark
forests of Snake Island.
Wait, hold on a second.
How did you end up here?
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Your destination today
is Ilha da Queimada Grande,
better known as Snake Island.
You’ve heard the stories:
the 430,000 square meters (106 acres) island
has at least one snake
per square mile (11 square feet).
It’s a place
so dangerous
that the Brazilian government
has closed it off.
But you just had to see it for yourself.
First, you'll have to get to São Paulo,
the closest major city to Snake Island.
You wouldn't happen to be
a member of the Brazilian
Navy, would you?
Are you part of a specialized
research team? No?
OK, no worries.
We can work with this.
Your best bet
is to bribe a local fisherman
to take you in a dinghy to the island.
I know it could be better,
but they say they know the perfect spot
to drop you off on the island.
Take a look at these rocks.
The fisherman is going
to drop you off here,
and then all you have to do is...
I looked away for five seconds!
The fisherman’s boat
has crashed into the rocks,
and you've fallen overboard.
Swim to shore,
and we'll come up with a new plan.
Now is probably the wrong time
to tell you that Snake Island
has no accessible
beach and sharp
rocks surround the island.
But don't worry.
We found a spot where we can successfully
get you a boat back to the mainland.
There's just one problem:
it's on the other side of the island.
Wait.
You really want to cross
the island dressed like that?
Hmm. Okay, I get it.
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That's much better.
Let's get moving. Good looking.
You need to make it from here to here.
There's an automated lighthouse here,
but that should only be your
last resort for shelter.
If you start now,
you can make it to the other
end of the island tomorrow afternoon.
But here's the thing:
between you and your pick-up,
there's the risk of getting lost,
a swarm of bugs
and thousands of super snakes.
Yeah, you heard me.
Super snakes.
And what do you know, here's one now.
Meet the golden lancehead viper,
a unique type of snake
found only on Snake Island.
Flashback to 11,000 years ago,
sea levels rose high enough
to isolate the area,
meaning all the animals on the island
evolved separately
from those on the mainland.
The snakes on this
newly formed island
had no ground-level predators,
meaning they could get busy
and reproduce
without interruption.
The only catch?
They also had no ground-level
prey either.
So, what's an up-and-coming
super predator to do?
Improvise.
The snakes adapted to prey on birds
visiting the island
during their migratory flights.
And it's not just their habits
that evolved.
The golden lancehead evolved
so tremendously
that its venom became 3-5 times stronger
than any mainland snake.
You’ll need to be
extremely careful
making your way through the forest,
as the trees are filled with snakes
waiting for an unlucky bird to land.
Or in this case,
a fresh serving of tourist.
You're getting tired.
It's getting dark,
and we're behind schedule.
There's only one option for shelter:
the lighthouse.
Yeah, I know.
I'm not a fan of this plan, either.
As you enter the lighthouse,
you start remembering the stories
you heard.
From 1909 to the 1920s,
a few people did live on the island,
mainly to operate this lighthouse.
According to local legend,
the lighthouse
keeper and his family died
when snakes
slithered in through the windows.
Another legend states
that the lighthouse keeper
ran out of food and disappeared
while picking bananas.
A search party was sent out,
where one by one,
they were picked off by the snakes.
Neither the lighthouse keeper
nor the search party
was ever seen again.
The lighthouse was automated
during the ‘20s,
and it’s actually really interesting.
The lighthouse functions by...
Woah!
Watch out for that viper!
That was close.
Good thing...
Uh-oh. You've been bitten.
It's OK.
You can do this.
The severity
of the symptoms
depends on the quality
and amount of venom
injected from the bite.
How do you feel?
Weak?
Achy? You've only got about 60 minutes
before the venom kills you.
That means you need to act fast.
First, expose the bite site
by cutting or removing your pants
to treat the snake bite.
Avoid immersing
the wound in water, and wash it
gently with soap and water.
Cover the wound
with a sterile dry
bandage from your first aid kit.
You still need proper medical attention.
The first aid kit will do in a pinch,
but you better get off this island soon.
How are you feeling now?
Do you have the chills? Nausea?
Digging through your gear,
you find your vial of antivenom.
Look,
I don't even care how
you got your hands on that.
I'm just happy you did.
Even though it's recommended
to administer antivenom
with a qualified healthcare
provider present,
you're all alone on this island.
It's now or never.
Take the shot!
Good morning.
That was pretty intense last night.
You're looking better.
Can you walk?
Great. We need to get moving.
Continue making your way
to the pick-up point.
The only place you can land
is on a small outcropping
of slippery, algae-covered rocks,
and you’re almost there.
Next, turn left here but watch your step.
Besides snakes,
the island is also inhabited
by beetles, cockroaches, and locusts.
According to one report,
there are so many cockroaches
that the ground crunches as you walk.
Be careful.
The roaches can also spread disease
through their feces and eggs.
Ontop of their potential
to spread disease,
cockroaches are also a common allergen
for many people.
Exposure to cockroach feces
or eggs can trigger allergic reactions,
ranging from mild symptoms
like coughing and sneezing
to more severe symptoms
like difficulty
breathing and anaphylaxis.
And in case you forgot,
there’s no medical help on this island.
To survive this area
just stay focused
and keep moving.
Once you've made it away
from the tree line
and the creepy crawlies,
you see it!
Your rescue boat.
Quick climb on,
let's get the hell out of here!
You did it!
Alright,
just lay back and take a breather.
We'll make sure that wound gets treated
while you take a rest.
Go on, you've earned it.
We’ll wake you up
when we arrive at the mainland.
Wait what?
How the... did we end up in North Korea?
OK Don't panic,
we're just a little turned around.
But don't worry, with our guide,
we'll make sure you get out alive.
Find out how here on How to Survive.