Every Type of Snake Explained in 10 Minutes

Every Type of Snake Explained in 10 Minutes King Cobra Before we get into the strange and the barely believable, we start here — because nothing establishes what a snake can be quite like the King Cobra. It grows to eighteen feet. When it rears up to strike, it stands tall enough to look an adult human directly in the eye. The body is deep olive green with pale yellow bands, and that hood — when it flares — is wider than most people's shoulders. But the detail that changes how you see this animal is what it eats. The King Cobra feeds almost exclusively on other snakes. Including venomous ones. It hunts kraits, rat snakes, and smaller cobras with the calm efficiency of something that has never needed to be afraid. It's also one of the only snakes on earth that builds a nest and guards it. A single bite carries enough venom to kill an elephant. Not incapacitate — kill. Within hours. Golden Lancehead Off the coast of Brazil, there is a small island that the Brazilian government has made it illegal to visit. No tourists, no fishing boats, no unauthorized landing of any kind. The island is called Ilha da Queimada Grande, and the reason for the ban is simple — it is covered in Golden Lanceheads. Estimates put the density at roughly one snake per square metre in some areas. The snake itself is extraordinary. Its scales are a pale, shimmering gold — almost metallic — the color of something cast rather than grown. Because it has been completely isolated from mainland populations for thousands of years, it evolved separately, developing a venom that acts faster and more aggressively than its closest relatives. That venom can dissolve tissue around the bite within hours. Scientists need a special government permit just to set foot on the shore. It is one of the rarest animals alive, and almost no human will ever see it outside a photograph.