At first,
it's an unsettling noise.
The grinding of scales
rubbing together.
That's the sound
of the saw-scaled viper,
the world's deadliest snake.
And it could be
the last sound you ever hear.
Found in populated areas
throughout India,
Sri Lanka
and the Middle East,
saw-scaled vipers
are responsible for more
human deaths
than all other snake species
combined.
While they may not have
the deadliest venom,
they are extremely aggressive.
They strike fast.
And they don't stop after one bite.
The venom can deteriorate
blood vessel membranes,
overwhelming the body’s blood
clotting system.
One nip
can bleed you dry.
The venom can also
rot flesh.
It practically destroys
the tissue around the bite.
Gross.
Making it through the initial
encounter is one thing,
but you could be faced with
losing a couple of toes.
Maybe even a leg.
When threatened,
it will rub its scales together.
Called stridulation,
this produces the telltale
sawing sound
that gives the species its name.
That may be your only
warning before you feel
fangs in your flesh.
So listen up!
The first step
in avoiding death
or serious harm
from a saw-scaled viper
is to know how to avoid them.
The species has a distinct appearance,
notably their pear-shaped heads,
large elliptical eyes
and distinctive coloring.
Their scales are oriented
upward rather than backward,
which is what you'll usually
see with most snakes.
They are relatively small,
with a maximum length of 40 cm (16 in).
That makes them easy to miss.
These snakes are most active
on humid nights
or after it rains,
so that's when you need to be
extra careful.
An overwhelming majority
of the snake's bites
involve the lower extremities.
If you know one might be around,
wear closed-toe shoes.
Saw-scaled vipers often live
in small holes
in rocky environments.
Something a teenager
in India learned the hard way.
He received severe bites on his hand
when reaching into such a hole
while hunting bush rats.
The resulting swelling
led to his hand being transformed
into a reddish heap of flesh
that later required
two fingers to be amputated.
So carry some gloves.
And make sure they're thick.
Because of their overly
aggressive instincts,
if you encounter
a saw-scaled viper,
the best thing to do
is to get the heck out of there.
Just because it's not moving
doesn't mean there's no danger.
It has the ability to launch
a leaping attack
from a coiled position.
And being a sidewinder,
it's extremely fast
over surfaces like sand.
Back away slowly
and do not make sudden movements.
Don't take your eyes off it.
If you are bitten,
get away from the snake immediately.
They will often go in for multiple bites,
and each one
increases your chances
of a very bad outcome.
Don't try to kill the snake.
It's not worth it.
Direct contact means
the clock is ticking.
Prepare for swelling
and intense pain
around the bite
that will spread
to the rest of your body.
Internal bleeding
will become a major issue.
Get yourself to a doctor
and get an antivenom treatment.
There are literally thousands
of antivenoms available,
so make sure to describe
the snake accurately
as possible.
Some victims have even killed
their attacker
and brought it with them.
Please, don't do this.
Once treated,
you should recover in a few days.
If you survive the saw-scaled
viper's venom,
there's still a risk
of tissue damage
or the loss of a limb.
But
is there any way to prevent this?
After a bite,
our immune system dispatches
white blood cells to the site
to fight off the venom.
While these cells effectively
kill the venom,
they also starve the surrounding
tissue of oxygen,
leading to rot.
Researchers have begun
experimenting with chemical
compounds
from much-deadlier
cobra venom.
They have had success
neutralizing venom
and treating
tissue damage simultaneously.
Unfortunately,
the trials have only been
successful on mice.
Most people have a fear of snakes,
and with good reason.
Following these
tips will help you live
to see another day.
And if going head-to-head
with just one isn't scary enough,
what would you do
if you stuck on a whole
island full of them?
Find out here,
on How to Survive.
They were lucky to have