Brazil’s snake island or Ilha de Queimada Grande is one of the world’s deadliest islands as it has the highest concentration of venomous pit vipers in the world. It is the only known home of the Golden Lancehead whose venom is five times stronger than that of any mainland snake and eats away at flesh and tissue. The Brazilian government strictly controls visits to the uninhabited island. However, wildlife smugglers called “bio pirates” illegally catch and sell the snakes for upto US$10,000-30,000 for a single Golden Lancehead.
Located approximately 33 kilometres (21 mi) off the coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, the island is approximately 430,000 square metres (110 acres) in area. The island ranges in elevation from sea level to 206 metres (676 ft) above sea level. The island has a temperate climate that is similar to that of its neighbouring island Nimer. 0.25 square kilometres (62 acres) of the island is covered by rain forest; the remaining areas consist of barren rocks and open grassland. Queimada Grande ranges from an average of 18.38 °C (65.08 °F) in August to 27.28 °C (81.10 °F) in March, and rainfall ranges from 0.2 millimetres (0.0079 in) per month in July to 135.2 millimetres (5.32 in) in December. The snakes became trapped on the island thousands of years ago following the end of the last ice age when rising ocean levels disconnected the island from the mainland. The ensuing selection pressure allowed the snakes to adapt to their new environment, increasing rapidly in population and rendering the island dangerous to public visitation.
Credit : Wikipedia
Picture Credit : Google
