Snake Island

Snake Island is what the locals call Ilha da Queimada Grande, an isolated island off the coast of Brazil. It is infested with a species of snakes called the Golden Lancehead Viper, which is one of the deadliest and most venomous snakes in the world.

Snake Island is uninhabited and the government forbids anyone from visiting it without a permit. When the Brazilian navy escorts anyone to the island, they drop them off 100 meters away, because they are afraid to get any nearer.

It has the highest concentration of venomous snakes anywhere in the world. They say there is one deadly snake for every square meter, which means that at any one time, you are never more than a few feet away from death.

One poisonous bite from the Golden Lancehead pit viper is enough to kill a you in less than an hour. The snake’s venom is fast-acting and it is 3 to 5 times more powerful than any other. It can burn through your skin, make the flesh melt from your bones and cause you to bleed to death.

Rumor has it that, years ago, a hapless fisherman landed on the island in search of bananas. He was discovered days later, lying dead in his boat in a pool of blood with snake bites all over his body.

At one time, a lighthouse keeper lived on the island with his family, but they did not survive long. One day, the snakes slithered through their windows and attacked. In a panic, the lighthouse keeper and his wife picked up their children and made a mad dash through the jungle. They hoped they could make it to their boat and escape.

However, as they ran through the trees, there were snakes lurking in the branches overhead. They were were bitten numerous times and the entire family was killed. Since then, no replacement lighthouse keeper has been sent and the island remains abandoned and uninhabited.