Ilha da Queimada Grande, infamously known as “Snake Island”, is a place so treacherous that the Brazilian Navy deliberately avoids it.
Access is restricted to only a select few, including scientists and soldiers. Located 33km off the coast of Brazil, the island is home to a massive population of venomous snakes, estimated to be around 4,000.
Among them is the highly venomous golden lancehead pit viper, a species found nowhere else on Earth. The venom of this deadly snake can cause a range of horrific symptoms, including kidney failure, internal bleeding, and tissue death, and can kill its victims in under an hour.
The venom’s potency may have evolved due to the absence of mammals on the island, requiring the snakes to develop a fast-acting venom to kill birds before they can escape.
The Brazilian Navy strictly controls access to the island, not only to protect potential visitors but also to safeguard the snakes themselves, reports the Express. Their rare venom is highly sought after on the black market, making them vulnerable to poachers and smugglers willing to risk their lives to obtain it.
Legend has it that a family once resided on Snake Island in the 1900s to operate the lighthouse, but were tragically killed by the snakes. Since then, no one has lived there, with the navy ensuring no one lands on the island.
In 2023, a YouTuber managed to dodge the navy and set foot on the island, donning body-armour for protection against snake bites.
Another tale about Snake Island suggests that lethal vipers were brought there by pirates to guard treasure, though it’s more likely that the creatures were simply stranded when rising sea levels cut off the island from mainland Brazil. Here are some other islands around the globe that have been ranked among the most perilous.