Where are snakes kept? Deadly dangerous island of Queimada Grande, Brazil What is the name of the place where there are a lot of snakes

Queimada Grande Island, also called the Snake Island, is one of the most dangerous places to travel in the world. Located off the Brazilian coast, the island includes about 445 km 2 of forest, and its main danger is that it is home to hundreds of thousands of different snakes, including poisonous ones.

Queimada Grande Island - a deadly natural wonder

This incredibly dangerous one is located about 32 kilometers off the coast of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Many locals are aware of its existence, but there are only a few who have dared to set foot on the most dangerous island in the world, Queimad Grande, and come back alive.

Not every adventurer will risk his life to admire the deadliest snakes in the world, capable of melting human flesh with their venom. Indeed, Queimada Grande, or Snake Island, is considered so life-threatening that Brazilian authorities have banned visitors to it. An interesting fact is that there is another Snake Island in Brazil, located in Rio de Janeiro, but without snakes.

History of Snake Island

According to one theory of the origin of the island, 11 thousand years ago the sea level rose significantly and separated a piece of land from Brazil. The snakes that remained there, despite favorable climatic conditions, found themselves in a very difficult situation (in terms of food), which probably affected the lethality and bloodthirstiness of their future descendants.

Abandoned in complete isolation, the snakes continued their lineage, and were fed by migrating birds that used the island (Queimada Grande) as a transit point during their seasonal travels. Many snakes are excellent tree climbers, so it is not difficult for them to obtain food by hunting birds. From time to time, snakes themselves become prey, mostly young individuals. Cormorants flying in attack the baby snakes, while avoiding the adults.

Not a good place to stay at all

The island is called forbidden due to the fact that there are 5 per 1 m2 of area, according to the legends. Perhaps this fact is a little exaggerated, but, nevertheless, it is still relevant to real indicators. Queimada Grande is an island where snakes are the rightful owners of the territory, and it is better for people not to appear here.

If you observe the island from the water, you can see whole balls of snakes calmly basking in the sun on the coastal rocks. If you really wanted to, you could try to evict these reptiles from the island. But the fact is that many of them are on the verge of extinction, and the island of Queimada Grande is the only place where they can be found, so all measures are being taken to protect and protect them, despite the fact that they themselves are also able to stand for myself.

Island bothrops - one of the best on the planet

Despite its attractive appearance, the island has nothing in common with a paradise. The only building in this uninhabited place is a lighthouse built in 1909, which now operates autonomously. Of the thousands of species of snakes on the island, the most dangerous is the island jararaka (island bothrops). This is one of the deadliest snakes in the entire world. Its bite causes necrosis of muscle tissue. Due to the incredibly strong poison, for example, an animal the size of a small mouse dies in 2 seconds.

Effect of the island bothrops bite on humans

Bothrops is a very fast, strong and poisonous reptile. Its poison is dangerous not only for animals, but also for humans. Bite survivors tell their most terrifying stories after encountering a snake. The fact is that the bitten areas are literally corroded, and the human flesh falls off in whole pieces, and large blood losses also occur, and the person experiences acute pain. After several deaths, attempts to inhabit Queimada Grande (the island of poisonous snakes) stopped.

Unsuccessful attempts to inhabit Snake Island

At the end of the 19th century, several businessmen from the city of Sao Paulo tried to colonize the island. The plans of the entrepreneurs were to set up extensive banana plantations in this area, burn out forests and destroy creeping reptiles. But the true owners of the island showed the colonialists who was boss. Once on the shore, the hired workers were immediately attacked by snakes, from which even high rubber boots could not save them. This round ended in favor of the reptiles.

After some time, colonization was continued by a more prepared group. The work clothes were made using special technology and provided good protection against snake bites. However, another unaccounted problem arose here. Queimad Grande (Snake Island), whose inhabitants are photographed in horror, is characterized by a very hot climate, and workers had to make a cruel choice: be bitten or die from suffocation. In such a rubberized suit in the heat, people’s hearts simply could not stand it.

They even tried to burn the island, which was hampered by periodic precipitation. After unsuccessful attempts to recapture the island from the snakes, ownership of it returned to the state. A lighthouse was built on the partially liberated territory, which, however, does not mean that shelter can be found here, but warns that looking here is unsafe for human health, which does not stop curious tourists who want to at least from a distance look at the snake-infested island.

A snake is an animal of the chordate type, class Reptiles, order Squamate, suborder snakes (Serpentes). Like all reptiles, they are cold-blooded animals, so their existence depends on the ambient temperature.

Snake - description, characteristics, structure. What does a snake look like?

The body of the snake has an elongated shape and can reach a length of 10 centimeters to 9 meters, and the weight of the snake ranges from 10 grams to more than 100 kilograms. Males are smaller than females, but have a longer tail. The body shape of these reptiles varies: it can be short and thick, long and thin, and sea snakes have a flattened body that resembles a ribbon. Therefore, the internal organs of these scaly animals also have an elongated structure.

The internal organs are supported by more than 300 pairs of ribs, movably connected to the skeleton.

The snake's triangular head has jaws with elastic ligaments, which makes it possible to swallow large food.

Many snakes are venomous and use venom as a means of hunting and self-defense. Since snakes are deaf, to navigate in space, in addition to vision, they use the ability to capture vibration waves and thermal radiation.

The main information sensor is the forked tongue of the snake, which allows it to “collect information” about the environment using special receptors inside the palate. Snake eyelids are fused transparent films, scales covering the eyes, therefore snakes don't blink and even sleep with their eyes open.

The skin of snakes is covered with scales, the number and shape of which depends on the type of reptile. Once every six months, the snake sheds its old skin - this process is called molting.

By the way, the color of the snake can be either monochromatic in species living in the temperate zone, or variegated in representatives of the tropics. The pattern can be longitudinal, transversely circular or spotted.

Types of snakes, names and photographs

Today, scientists know more than 3,460 species of snakes living on the planet, among which the most famous are adders, sea snakes (not dangerous to humans), pit snakes, pseudopods, which have both lungs, as well as rudimentary remains of the pelvic bones and hind limbs.

Let's look at several representatives of the snake suborder:

King cobra (hamadryad) ( Ophiophagus hannah)

The most gigantic poisonous snake on earth. Some representatives grow up to 5.5 m, although the average size of adults usually does not exceed 3-4 m. King cobra venom is a lethal neurotoxin, causing death in 15 minutes. The scientific name of the king cobra literally means “snake eater”, because it is the only species whose representatives feed on snakes of their own kind. Females have an exceptional maternal instinct, constantly guarding the clutch of eggs and completely going without food for up to 3 months. The king cobra lives in the tropical forests of India, the Philippines and the islands of Indonesia. Life expectancy is more than 30 years.

Black Mamba ( Dendroaspis polylepis)

The African venomous snake, growing up to 3 m, is one of the fastest snakes, capable of moving at a speed of 11 km/h. The highly toxic snake venom causes death in a matter of minutes, although the black mamba is not aggressive and attacks humans only in self-defense. Representatives of the black mamba species received their name due to the black coloration of the oral cavity. The snake's skin is usually olive, green or brown in color with a metallic sheen. It eats small rodents, birds and bats.

Fierce snake (desert taipan) ( Oxyuranus microlepidotus)

The most poisonous of land snakes, the venom of which is 180 times stronger than that of a cobra. This species of snake is common in the deserts and dry plains of Australia. Representatives of the species reach a length of 2.5 m. The color of the skin changes depending on the season: in extreme heat it is straw-colored, when it gets colder it becomes dark brown.

Gaboon viper (cassava) ( Bitis gabonica)

The poisonous snake that lives in the African savannas is one of the largest and thickest vipers, up to 2 m long and with a body girth of almost 0.5 m. All individuals belonging to this species have a characteristic, triangular head with small horns located between the nostrils . The Gaboon viper has a calm character, rarely attacking people. It belongs to the type of viviparous snakes, breeds once every 2-3 years, bringing from 24 to 60 offspring.

Anaconda ( Eunectes murinus)

The giant (ordinary, green) belongs to the subfamily of boas; in former times the snake was called a water boa. The massive body, 5 to 11 m long, can weigh over 100 kg. The non-venomous reptile is found in low-flow rivers, lakes and creeks of the tropical part of South America, from Venezuela to the island of Trinidad. It feeds on iguanas, caimans, waterfowl and fish.

Python ( Pythonidae)

A representative of the family of non-venomous snakes, it is distinguished by its gigantic size, ranging from 1 to 7.5 m in length, with females being much larger and more powerful than males. The range extends throughout the eastern hemisphere: tropical forests, swamps and savannas of the African continent, Australia and Asia. The diet of pythons consists of small and medium-sized mammals. Adults swallow leopards, jackals and porcupines whole, and then digest them for a long time. Female pythons lay eggs and incubate the clutch, by contracting muscles, increasing the temperature in the nest by 15 -17 degrees.

African egg snakes (egg eaters) ( Dasypeltis scabra)

Representatives of the snake family that feed exclusively on bird eggs. They live in savannas and woodlands of the equatorial part of the African continent. Individuals of both sexes grow no more than 1 meter in length. The movable bones of the snake's skull make it possible to open its mouth wide and swallow very large eggs. In this case, the elongated cervical vertebrae pass through the esophagus and, like a can opener, rip open the eggshell, after which the contents flow into the stomach, and the shell is coughed up.

Radiant snake ( Xenopeltis unicolor)

Non-venomous snakes, the length of which in rare cases reaches 1 m. The reptile received its name for the rainbow tint of its scales, which are dark brown in color. Burrowing snakes live in the loose soils of forests, cultivated fields and gardens in Indonesia, Borneo, the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and China. Small rodents and lizards are used as food items.

Worm-like blind snake ( Typhlops vermicularis)

Small snakes, up to 38 cm long, resemble earthworms in appearance. Absolutely harmless representatives can be found under stones, melons and watermelons, as well as in thickets of bushes and on dry rocky slopes. They feed on beetles, caterpillars, and their larvae. The distribution area extends from the Balkan Peninsula to the Caucasus, Central Asia and Afghanistan. Russian representatives of this species of snake live in Dagestan.

Where do snakes live?

The distribution range of snakes does not include only Antarctica, New Zealand and the islands of Ireland. Many of them live in tropical latitudes. In nature, snakes live in forests, steppes, swamps, hot deserts and even in the ocean. Reptiles lead an active lifestyle both during the day and at night. Species living in temperate latitudes hibernate in winter.

To the question: Who will remember the name of the place where there are a lot of...snakes? given by the author electrostatics the best answer is In captivity it is a serpentarium. In nature, such places are called differently:
Wintering aggregations. "There are many stories about
whole balls of snakes,” writes an excellent animal connoisseur, director
torus of the Moscow Zoo, I. P. Sosnovsky ("Pets of the Moscow Zoo
zoo". M.: Moskovsky Rabochiy, 1974), - Yes. There were such
ut. But in some cases it is a group of snakes gathered for the winter.
ku or those who just emerged from the ground after it. In other
In many cases, the ball consists of only two snakes in their mating
ny period".
In some places there are places of large accumulation
snakes, whole “snake hearths”. However, great crowding is not
always characteristic.
Marriage clusters. During sexual activity, many
snakes, especially males, are very restless and crawl a lot, in
looking for traces of a female. If there are a lot of snakes in the area, then, following the trail
Dozens of males can flock to the same female body.
In some species of snakes, there are special “mating
dancing" (posing before mating) or "fighting dances"
fights between competing males. To snakes with this kind of demonstration
tions include rattlesnakes, vipers, cobras, etc.
Baby (breeding) clusters. Large crowd of snakes
that is, what is called “tangles” can be observed in other
In some cases, in “snake nests”, for example, in a mass area
female snakes lay eggs, shortly after their young hatch.
Snakes lay eggs and this differs from vipers, which give birth to live young. Snakes mate in the month of April,
and then in one place you can observe several grass snakes, swimming
formed into a lump, which is called “snake eggs”
Lure aggregations. In addition to the smell of a female or food, su-
There are completely “foreign” odors that are not inherent in animals.
but which, however, are capable of collecting animals of a certain
different species, gender, age to a certain area. The reactions of such
genus, "chemotaxis", are well known among protozoa ("chemo" -
chemical, "taxis" - movement).
Thermal accumulations. At any time of the year, especially in
Noah, whenever the sun comes out, snakes try to crawl out to the south
cooler, more warmed slopes of ridges, hills and large hummocks.
Feeding accumulations. In rather rare areas, rich
insects, rodents, lizards, snakes can be very
a lot, because for them there is what is called insipid boring
the word "food supply".
Disaster clusters.
In Egypt, in the Abu Simbel area,
where huge famous stone colossi stand, often in
During floods, hundreds of rescuers flock to dry areas -
There are many snakes, many of which are deadly poisonous.
Huge concentrations of snakes are sometimes even called by analogy with
fish - "snake spawning". It is significant that such places are the same from year to year.
details about snake aggregations link

Answer from 22 answers[guru]

Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: Who can remember the name of the place where there are a lot of...snakes?

Answer from Unmanned Module™[guru]
terrarium

Answer from Slovak[guru]
Serpentarium

Answer from chevron[active]
Snake wedding.... when they are all intertwined in a bunch o_O

Answer from lightly salted[guru]
I think it's a serpentarium. But this is if not in living nature, but in a place equipped by man.

Unfortunately, there are no universal distinctive features that can be used to distinguish dangerous snakes from non-venomous ones. Therefore, it will be useful for every person, especially those who love nature walks, to learn how to identify the species of snakes living in their region.
There are not many snakes living on the territory of Russia that pose a danger to humans.

The list is headed by the viper, widespread in North Africa and most of the Middle and Far East. On the territory of Russia it can be found in Dagestan. It is not for nothing that biologists classify this large snake as a genus of giant vipers: adult females reach 150 cm long. Males are usually slightly smaller. The snake has a wide triangular head, the muzzle is rounded and blunt when viewed from above.

The head is usually evenly colored, although it may sometimes be marked with a dark V-shaped pattern. Body color can be gray, brown, beige, pinkish, olive. Against this background, a darker pattern is visible - gray, dove, reddish or brown; it can consist of a continuous pattern along the spine or two rows of large spots forming a continuous zigzag line.

This reptile is active both day and night (mainly in hot weather). It can be found both in rocky mountainous areas, and in forests, and in the steppe. It needs only two conditions - a large number of rodents and a body of water in the neighborhood. The viper is capable of making lightning-fast throws the length of its own body, breaking free from the hands of even experienced snake catchers and injecting up to 50 mg upon bite. the most dangerous poison, so it’s better not to mess with her. Snake venom has a strong hemolytic effect: it destroys blood cells and blood vessels. A victim of a viper attack feels weak and dizzy. The bitten limb swells and acquires a purplish-blue tint with foci of necrosis. Here, urgent medical attention is needed, because in case of delay, the probability of death is about 20%.

A smaller, but more common relative of the viper in our latitudes is the viper. The common viper boasts one of the widest habitats among snakes: from the islands of Foggy Albion to the Pacific coast of Asia, from the Arctic to the Mediterranean Sea. These snakes love to live in forests and wetlands. Open glades and slopes ideal for sunbathing are important components of their preferred habitat. The rest of the time they like to hide in the thick grass. Vipers are born 16-18 cm in length and can reach up to 80 cm. The color can be varied: from light gray or brownish with a dark zigzag pattern along the back - to completely black. The ventral scutes are black or gray. This snake's head is triangular and its pupils are vertical.

Typically found in the wild they live from 10 to 15 years However, they spend a good half of this period in suspended animation. They usually hibernate from September or October, using abandoned burrows of other animals. One such shelter can contain up to hundreds of vipers. In warm climates, winter sleep time may be reduced. The viper is mainly diurnal, especially in the northern part of its habitat. But the further south you go, the more active it is in the evening and at night.

A viper bite is usually not fatal to an adult, but is dangerous to children and pets. In any case, after a bite you should immediately seek professional medical help, otherwise even healthy adults may experience unpleasant consequences of exposure to the poison for up to several months.

Symptoms of a pit viper bite include immediate and severe pain, swelling and a tingling sensation. Further symptoms may include nausea, abdominal colic and diarrhea, urinary incontinence, sweating, fever, vasoconstriction, tachycardia, loss of consciousness, temporary blindness, swelling of the face, lips, gums, tongue, and throat. In severe cases, cardiovascular failure may develop. If left untreated, these symptoms may persist for up to 48 hours.

The Caucasian viper, also known as Kaznakov's viper, is a much rarer, but also more dangerous species of viper. It is endemic to the Caucasus, living in Russia, Georgia and Turkey. This snake reaches the length up to 60 cm, the wedge-shaped head is visually different from the neck. Unlike the modest colors of other vipers, the color of the Caucasian viper has pronounced reddish and orange elements. Along the spine there is a wide, black or brown zigzag stripe. Juveniles boast a bright red-brown color, reaching maximum intensity after the first winter. Melanists are very rare.

This species lives on wooded mountain slopes, in wet ravines and on the edges of clearings. On the Black Sea coast it emerges from hibernation in March, but at altitudes above 600 m above sea level it appears in the second half of April or early May. Breeds from late March to mid-May. Hibernation begins in early November (for coastal areas), and at the end - beginning of October for high-mountain populations.

The Caucasian viper can live at an altitude of up to 900 meters above sea level. Even higher (up to 3000 meters above sea level) lives a snake similar in appearance and biology, described as a separate species only at the end of the 20th century - Dinnik’s viper.

The steppe viper is a venomous snake that lives from southeastern France to China. The length of her body reaches 50 cm. Most often found in open grasslands and hillsides, well-drained rocky mountain slopes, although it can also be found in wet meadows and marshy areas. It is similar in color to the common viper: its light gray or brown body is decorated with intricate zigzags and spots on the sides. Its head has a slightly elongated shape, and the edges of its muzzle are raised.

The snake is active from April - May to November and leaves its winter refuge no earlier than the temperature rises above 5-8 C. The consequences of a bite by a steppe viper are similar to the consequences of a bite by a common viper.

Another poisonous snake living in Russia is the common copperhead, also known as Pallas's copperhead. An interesting feature of this snake is that it is able to capture the thermal radiation of its prey. It has a dull coloration, grayish or brown, with transverse dark spots along the back and smaller markings on the sides. The tip of the wide muzzle is slightly upturned, and between the nostrils and the eyes of the copperhead there are noticeable indentations: its heat-sensitive organs are located there. Body length is up to 70 cm.

The cottonmouth is found in Central Asia, Northern China, Korea and Mongolia. Within Russia, it can be found in the Lower Volga region, Southern Siberia and the Far East.

When choosing a place of residence, the copperhead is unpretentious. Forests and steppes, semi-deserts and subalpine meadows, banks and swampy floodplains of rivers are suitable for him. He is also indiscriminate in his daily routine: he can be active both day and night.
The bite of the copperhead is usually not fatal, although it is dangerous if you have heart and kidney problems. Like viper venom, copperhead venom disrupts the circulatory system, but it also contains neurotoxins. It usually causes a rather severe condition that can last a whole week. And the bite wound sometimes does not heal for more than a month.

The copperhead is a snake whose dangers are talked about much more than it deserves. Its habitat extends throughout Europe to Western Siberia. It belongs to the order of colubrids, although in appearance it resembles a viper. The color of the copperhead is matte gray, brown or brick-reddish with a dark, sometimes very faint pattern along the back. She usually has a marking on her head that is sometimes described as a "butterfly" or "heart". Another characteristic feature is dark stripes running horizontally along the eye line. The pupils of this snake are round, unlike the viper's, and the irises of the eyes may be reddish.

In principle, the copperhead is safe for humans, although it can bite until it bleeds with its front, non-poisonous teeth. The poisonous teeth are located too deep in the mouth, so they are dangerous only for the prey that the copperhead can immediately swallow. In addition, it produces little poison, and it is much less toxic than viper.

What to do if bitten by a snake?

If you are bitten by a poisonous snake, it is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible. Other measures to take:

If possible, suck out the poison from the wound, periodically rinsing your mouth with water (this measure is effective during the first 5-10 minutes). Be careful, if there are wounds in your mouth, there is a risk of poison getting into your mouth, do not swallow it under any circumstances!
Immobilize the affected part of the body.
Remove anything that might put pressure on the limb during swelling.
Drink more - this will help remove poison from the body.

You should never do the following:

Cauterize or widen the wound: as a result of the bite, the poison enters a depth of several centimeters and cannot be gotten rid of in this way.
Apply a tourniquet: this can lead to necrosis and subsequent amputation.
Drink alcohol: it will slow down the removal of poison from the body.
Drink coffee: its stimulating effect will be unnecessary.

Queimada Grande Island- the forbidden island of Brazil, because on 1 sq. there are 5 poisonous snakes. So says the local legend. Usually legends slightly exaggerate or embellish the facts, but in this case the reality practically coincides with the legend.

About 35 km off the coast of the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, lies a rocky island with an area of about 430,000 sq. m. Its official name is Queimada Grande (port. ), although few Brazilians know this name. For them he is just "Snake Island". There are very few places in the world that have such a precise name. Not a single person lives on the island; snakes rule everything.

In some parts of the island, the density of snakes per square meter. m very high. Of course, there are not 5 of them, but only (!) 1, according to a documentary shown several years ago on the Discovery Channel. However, on the coastal rocks you can also see whole balls of snakes, which are clearly visible from the boat. Maybe humanity would still have survived someday if these snakes had not been endangered. Among the large number of snakes on the island, the main predominant island bothrops(lat. Bothropoides insularis), second name. The island of Queimada Grande is the only place where they are found, so the state carefully protects these reptiles.

Island bothrops is one of the most poisonous snakes in the world

From afar, the island resembles a lost paradise, but nothing could be further from reality. Not only are there a lot of island bothrops, but they are also one of the most poisonous snakes in the world. After this phrase, the image of heaven disappears in an instant. The bite of the island jararaka causes necrosis of muscle tissue. Its poison is very dangerous. A mouse, for example, dies within 2 seconds. Visiting the island is currently prohibited. Sometimes, in special cases, access is given to scientists.

But you can take a boat ride around the island, explore it from a safe distance, go fishing and go diving.

The only structure on the island is lighthouse, which was monitored by a caretaker until the beginning of the 20th century. A brave guy, I guess. Later the lighthouse was made automatic. Currently, the Brazilian Navy is responsible for maintaining the lighthouse.

Interesting fact that in Brazil there is another Snake Island, but without snakes. It is located in another state, in Rio de Janeiro. Don't get confused.