Scientists think there are about two thousand four hundred different kinds of snakes now living. Of these, only about 8 percent are poisonous kinds that stun or kill their prey with venom. In many poisonous snakes the venom is not strong enough or plentiful enough to be dangerous to man.
All snakes have a large amount of saliva that helps them swallow and digest prey. In the venomous snakes one of the saliva glands pro¬duces a substance that is poisonous to the snakes’ prey. This sub¬stance is the snakes’ venom.
Some snakes have venom that is strong enough to kill an ele¬phant. Others have venom so mild that they can kill only small lizards. Probably only two hundred species of venomous snakes can be considered dangerous to man.
Among the venomous species of snakes known, the cobras and their relatives make up one family; the vipers, a second. And there are some venomous snakes among a kind known as the colubrids, the largest family of snakes.
The cobras and their relatives have fangs at the front of the mouth, one on each side of the upper jaw. The fangs are grooved, but in most cobras the groove is closed over, forming a hollow tube. A muscle surrounds the venom gland. When the snake bites, the muscle presses on the gland. This forces the venom down into the fang and out through the fang tip directly into the prey.
There is a spitting cobra that can spray venom from its fangs. The cobra aims at the eyes of a threatening animal, such as an an¬telope or buffalo. The spray reaches about eight feel and causes al¬most instant blindness.
In general, cobra venom affects the nervous system of the victim and makes him unable to move. When the venom reaches the nerve centers that control breathing or heartbeat, the victim dies. Vipers have very long fangs. Their venom affects mainly the blood cells and blood vessels of the victims. It may cause great swelling and bleeding.
Source: Lots More Tell Me Why by Arkady Leokum
All snakes have a large amount of saliva that helps them swallow and digest prey. In the venomous snakes one of the saliva glands pro¬duces a substance that is poisonous to the snakes’ prey. This sub¬stance is the snakes’ venom.
Some snakes have venom that is strong enough to kill an ele¬phant. Others have venom so mild that they can kill only small lizards. Probably only two hundred species of venomous snakes can be considered dangerous to man.
Among the venomous species of snakes known, the cobras and their relatives make up one family; the vipers, a second. And there are some venomous snakes among a kind known as the colubrids, the largest family of snakes.
The cobras and their relatives have fangs at the front of the mouth, one on each side of the upper jaw. The fangs are grooved, but in most cobras the groove is closed over, forming a hollow tube. A muscle surrounds the venom gland. When the snake bites, the muscle presses on the gland. This forces the venom down into the fang and out through the fang tip directly into the prey.
There is a spitting cobra that can spray venom from its fangs. The cobra aims at the eyes of a threatening animal, such as an an¬telope or buffalo. The spray reaches about eight feel and causes al¬most instant blindness.
In general, cobra venom affects the nervous system of the victim and makes him unable to move. When the venom reaches the nerve centers that control breathing or heartbeat, the victim dies. Vipers have very long fangs. Their venom affects mainly the blood cells and blood vessels of the victims. It may cause great swelling and bleeding.
Source: Lots More Tell Me Why by Arkady Leokum
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