40 km (25 mi) off the coast of Brazil
lies an island
so dangerous it's illegal to visit.
But rules don't apply to you.
You're a thrill-seeking adrenaline junkie
ready to camp out for 30 days
in the untamed
wilderness of Snake Island.
Without resources or help,
the average person
wouldn't last
long on this tropical death trap.
Back in 2019, when a fishing boat
sank near the island,
two people remained on the ship.
Yeah, that’s right.
They decided to take their chances
in a sinking boat
rather than spend one second
on this serpent-infested island.
And the few that do risk their lives
going into the rainforest
may have questionable motives.
But why would anybody risk their lives
to visit this island?
Most people who come to
Ilha da Queimada Grande, or Snake Island,
don't want to stay
for more than a few hours.
If you're here for a month,
stay near the shoreline.
Going past the treeline,
deep into the forest, could be fatal.
Experts estimate
there's at least one snake
per square meter (11 sq ft)
across the 430,000 sq m (106 ac) island.
So what kind of reptilian killers
would you be on the lookout for?
How about as many as
4,000 golden lancehead vipers?
And they're all waiting on slow-moving
targets like you to give them something
to sink their fangs into.
Separated from the mainland
11,000 years ago,
the snakes here evolved venom
powerful enough to kill their prey quickly
to catch the migratory
birds passing through.
This venom, five times more potent
than that of the closest mainland snakes,
would kill you
within an hour if left untreated.
It's even
strong enough to melt your skin.
While these island dwellers
prefer an avian diet,
catching you would provide a lovely feast.
The venom in your system
could damage your kidneys,
destroy your muscle tissue or cause
internal bleeding.
All of which could kill you.
And these dangerous vipers stand
between you and freshwater
sources further inland.
Instead of risking your life for a drink,
you could use leaves
to collect rainwater.
As hunger sets in, you could eat
bananas found at the edge of the forest
near the coastline.
And if desperation sets in,
you could try eating one of these snakes
before they eat you.
OK, let’s clear something up.
Poisonous is not the same as venomous.
Poisons cause harm when swallowed
or inhaled.
The toxins in snake venom aren't
harmful as long as they're
not in your bloodstream.
So If you caught a viper and, uh,
removed its head,
where the poison glands sit,
you could snack on it.
Oh, that does taste like chicken.
Unfortunately, you wouldn't
be the only one looking
to catch this viper.
Biopirates and poachers often
come to Snake Island,
and no, not for the beaches.
Just one golden lancehead viper
could bring in $30,000
on the black market.
That might be the most expensive meal
you've ever eaten.
Since 1981, even drug companies
have been using their venom
in medications
to treat high blood pressure.
It's believed that due
to this high demand,
the viper population here has decreased
a staggering 50% in just 15 years,
placing it
on the endangered species list.
But get in the way of these profiteers
or venomous snakes
and you would be
the real endangered
species on this island.
You know, if you held on
to those poison glands,
well, maybe you could have
a refreshing drink for later.
Come to think of it,
what would happen if you swallowed
snake venom?
Well, grab your cocktail shaker
slice up some limes
because that's a story for another
WHAT IF.