Snake Population by Country 2024

You can find over 3,500 species of snakes in the world. Only 600 of that 3,500 are venomous, and only 200 species out of those are capable of seriously harming or killing a human.

Snakes are reclusive by nature, so it's hard to get an exact number on the overall population. But there are a lot of snakes out there.

Because of the fertile breeding ground of the rainforest, Brazil has the largest snake population, with over 400 species.

The most well-known Brazilian snake is the anaconda. While nonpoisonous anacondas crush their prey before eating. The boa constrictor and emerald green boa both live in the rainforest of South America alongside the anaconda.

When it comes to venomous snakes, Brazil has its share of those, too, with fer-de-lance and coral snakes.

Mexico is right up there with Brazil, with over 380 species of snakes, including the poisonous rattlesnake, vipers, coral snakes, and sea snakes.

In the United States, there are approximately 50 species of snakes, including the venomous timber and Massasauga rattlesnake. While there are plenty of nonpoisonous snakes like the corn snake, common garter snake, and black racer, of the 50 species in the US, 30 species are venomous.

If you have a snake phobia, New Zealand is one of the countries in the world that doesn't have a snake population. Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, Antarctica, and the tiny Pacific islands like Kiribati are also all snake-free.

The most dangerous snake in the world is the saw-scaled viper, which can be found in Africa and Asia, including parts of the Middle East. It said that the saw-scaled viper kills up to 50,000 people a year, making it the number on the most venomous list.

Snakes often face extermination due to their perceived threat, but all snakes play a vital role in ecosystems.