World’s most dangerous snake found in Indian shipping container in UK

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Wildlife volunteers were left shocked after they discovered the world’s deadliest snake from an Indian shipping container at Essex dock.

Volunteers from the South Essex Wildlife Hospital found the saw-scaled viper curled up in the corner of a giant shipping container that had arrived at Tilbury Docks from India, the Daily Mail reported.

Saw-scaled vipers are small but have an irritable and aggressive nature and their lethal venom makes them very dangerous to humans.

Experts believe they are responsible for more human deaths than all other snake species combined, as they tend to live in more populated areas.

They can grow up to three feet long and have oblique scales which rub against each other to produce a hissing sound which is supposed to warn potential predators.

They live all over the world in dry savannas, including Africa, Asia and India. They have a stout body with a pear-shaped head.

The reptiles tend to hunt at night and eat mammals, birds, snakes and lizards.

The saw-scaled viper is the smallest member of the Big Four snakes which are responsible for causing the most snakebite cases and deaths. They tend to bite their victims in the dark as they’re nocturnal.

Bites result in bleeding anywhere in the body, including a brain haemorrage which can occur a few days after a bite.

A lethal dose of venom is 3-5mg and women produce more venom than males.

“We routinely handle injured and uncooperative wildlife every day of the week but I’m glad it’s rare to get one of these critters,” hospital founder Sue Schwar said.

“They are very dangerous snakes to keep. It’s like having a loaded gun. Their venom isn’t the most poisonous but because they live in highly populated areas they tend to bite more people. That’s why they’re the most deadly.

“I think the guys at the company wanted it taken away pretty quickly as it’s a risk to their staff,” she added.