The island with the most snakes. Queimada-Grandi: “Snake Island. It is home to a huge number of poisonous snakes, many species of which are found only in this place. Brazilians themselves rarely know the official name of the island. For them he is

Snake Island is one of the island formations of Brazil and is located off the coast of Sao Paulo. This island can be found on the map under the name Queimada Grande, but the Brazilians simply call this place Snake Island.

Snake Island and its features

Snake Island is closed to people. Only occasionally are groups of scientists allowed there to examine the island and count the population of snakes on it. An interesting piece of land in the local water area is densely populated by a variety of snakes, many of them are poisonous and feel just great on the island.

A lighthouse has remained on the island since the last century. Once upon a time a brave caretaker lived there, today the lighthouse is automated and uninhabited. For one sq. There are an average of two snakes per kilometer on the island. The venom of many of them is fatal; death from a bite occurs almost instantly.

The total area of the rocky island is 43 hectares.

Snake Island is located 35 km from the coast of Sao Paulo. Despite all the danger that Queimada Grande poses for tourists, excursions are still conducted there, only groups do not swim close to the island, but view it from afar.

Fishing and diving are common around the island formation. The island territory is home to the most dangerous snake in the world - the island bothrops. This type of poisonous snake is found only on this island. Another name for the menace crawling on the ground is island jararaka.

Since this rare species of snake can easily disappear from the face of the earth, the island is under state protection. It will not be good for random sailors if, after a shipwreck, they end up on Snake Island, inevitable death awaits them there.

Island bothrops

Island bothrops is a spear-headed snake. The body of the snake, developing, grows up to 1 meter. The venom of one snake can destroy a company of soldiers. A dangerous predator lives in trees and bushes. The aggressive look has the following colors:

Golden;
Brown;
Yellow spotted.

The venom of this snake causes severe tissue necrosis, after which intestinal bleeding occurs. The substances in the poison literally dissolve the flesh, leaving the victim not a single chance of salvation.

Bothrops are intersex, which indicates the ability of these snakes to fertilize themselves. In one litter, a female can bear and give birth to up to 6 cubs. The reproduction of snakes on Snake Island occurs at a tremendous speed.

Legends of Queimada Grande

There are many legends associated with the forbidden island zone. According to one legend, pirates brought snakes to the island to guard their countless treasures. The pirate crew never returned, and the snake species spread throughout the island.

There is another story about Queimada Grande. It is believed that the family of a lighthouse keeper lived on the island for a long time. One night, snakes attacked the lighthouse, driving the frightened people into the forest. There, the caretaker with his wife and three daughters died from numerous bites. A month later, the military landed on the island and discovered the bodies of the unfortunate people. After the incident, it was decided to automate the lighthouse.

Another legend says that a long time ago a fisherman swam to the island. The poor guy was out of luck. Before he could set foot on the shore, he was bitten by bothrops right on the leg. The fisherman managed to crawl to the boat, but could not swim away, since by that time the poison had already completely paralyzed the unfortunate man. Other fishermen accidentally stumbled upon the body in the boat, after which an official ban on visiting the island appeared.

Because of all the horrors and dangers associated with Queimada Grande, almost no one visits the island. What then do numerous snakes eat? Snakes are saved from starvation by migratory birds who choose this piece of land for rest during the migration period.

Amazing facts about Snake Island

The ominous island with its poisonous inhabitants hides a lot of interesting things on its lands. Let's look at the facts about him in more detail:

The group of herpetological scientists landing on the island for research always includes a doctor capable of providing emergency assistance;
The island is officially recognized as a nature reserve, and also has the status of one of the most dangerous places on earth;
After a Brazilian company decided to plant bananas on the island, many workers at the event died. Since then, there has been a ban on agriculture on the island territory.

Residents of Sao Paulo in a nightmare will not be able to imagine the reason why they could be brought to Snake Island. Creepy on the inside and beautiful on the outside, over the centuries the place has turned into a real snake kingdom, the borders of which only desperate daredevils dare to violate.

The island of Queimada Grande, which is located in the Atlantic Ocean near the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, is also called Snake Island. It would seem that this place is a real piece of paradise, but this impression is deceptive. Visiting this island is akin to suicide!

The area of the mysterious place is only 430 square kilometers. And only scientists visit the island, because it is infested with snakes. Biologists have calculated that it is home to about four thousand species, including the most dangerous snake for humans, bothrops. One bite of this baby can lead to death in a matter of minutes. This individual usually feeds on rodents and birds.

It is home to a huge number of poisonous snakes, many species of which are found only in this place. Brazilians themselves rarely know the official name of the island. For them, it will forever remain an island of prohibition and danger, or simply Snake Island.

Local legends say that there are 5-6 snakes per square meter of this island.

And those who have been there at least once cannot disagree with this. At the moment there is not a single permanently living human soul there. All people have long ceased to consider this place a habitat, and even for tourists the path there is now completely closed. At the same time, the island continues to be a closed natural area due to the presence of rare and endangered species of snakes on it. The state is doing everything to ensure that the island continues to be in a primitive state, without unnecessary human intervention.

Survival of the Fittest on Snake Island

Over the past few years, the only one who has been able to reveal the secret over the island is the Discovery Channel, which made a documentary and showed truly terrifying footage of this place.

In addition, residents of neighboring islands can often observe huge snake balls that are located on rocks in warm and sunny places. Today, specially trained people and scientists are allowed to enter the island only in individual cases for a more detailed study of certain types of dangerous snakes.

The most dangerous type of snake on the island is bothrops, which is popularly called jararaka. Their poison can cause complete necrosis of human tissue and rapid death in a matter of minutes. The venom from a jararaka bite is enough to kill a mouse in just a couple of seconds.

The snake kingdom on the island has long lived according to its own laws and rules. Many species of snakes continue to live throughout the territory, in contact with other species, and some prefer to retire and occupy individual territories.

Is this entertainment not for the faint of heart?

At first glance, the island resembles a secluded corner of paradise, until you learn about it in more detail or see everything with your own eyes. Today, local residents offer boat trips for desperate tourists past the island and the poisonous rocks themselves. Many people choose more extreme activities - diving or fishing near this place.

According to rumors, there was once a lighthouse on the island, but after snakes crawled there and killed all the employees, it had to be replaced with an automatic one.

A REAL STORY ABOUT THE DEATH OF A LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER'S FAMILY

They say that one night snakes crawled through the windows into the house where the caretaker’s family (the caretaker himself, his wife and three children) moved in and attacked the sleeping people. Adults and children in panic jumped out of the Lonely Lighthouse on Queimada Grandidoma and ran into the forest, where they were bitten by spearheads hanging in clusters from the trees. When the lighthouse stopped sending signals, a military ship was sent to the island to find out the reasons. The sailors found only the lifeless bodies of family members near the forest, and the lighthouse was swarming with thousands of snakes.

Since then, not a single person has risked living on the serpentarium island; a lighthouse operating in automatic mode has been installed here.

However, research work is carried out on the island all year round; serpentologists constantly observe the life of reptiles in their natural habitats and make popular science films.

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 arriving from the coast of Brazil attack baby snakes, while avoiding adults.

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.

The 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.

HOW DO YOU MAKE MONEY FROM GARDENS?

Having banned access to the most dangerous island on the planet, the Brazilian authorities are still making money on it. Queimada Grande is extremely popular among tourists. They are, of course, not allowed on the island itself, but guides take tourists on boats to a safe, closest distance from the rocky shore. Travelers contemplate with delight and horror the balls of snakes covering the coastal stones, swarming and basking in the sun.

If you want to relax on this island and see it from afar, then think of a good place to spend a pleasant time! But that’s not the case, you won’t be able to live even a day on the island. The name of the island is " Serpentine island"fully lives up to its name! It is home to very poisonous spear-headed snakes, the poison of which causes rapid death and suffering. If you think that you will not encounter snakes, then I dare to assure you that according to scientists, there are from one to five snakes for every square meter. It is forbidden for humans to set foot on this islet off the southwest Brazilian coast - it is forbidden in their own interests. And all this because snakes now live there.

The danger of the island of Queimada Grande

As you may have guessed, the danger for visitors is the animal living here, namely the American spearhead snake (Botrops), which is one of the most poisonous on our planet. Its bite leads to paralysis of the body, it begins to rot, as a result of which the victim experiences unbearable pain. The result is almost always the same – death. Taking a photo in front of such a creature is very dangerous.

Why is the island considered the most dangerous in the world? After all, there are many places with poisonous creatures. The answer lies in their numbers - there are more than 5000 of them. All snakes hunt daily, destroying various species of animals. Often their victims are small beetles and lizards, which they wait for in the trees. Birds living on the island are a special delicacy for Bothrops: after being bitten, the bird is paralyzed, so the chances of survival are zero.

In addition, snakes track the location of nests and destroy the chicks. There is never enough food for so many reptiles on the island, as a result of which their poison has become more poisonous. You can rarely see snakes near water; they spend all their time in the forest.

Where did the snakes come from on the island?

There is a legend according to which pirates hid their wealth here. To prevent them from being found, it was decided to populate the island with Botrops. Their number was constantly increasing, and now these animals have become full-fledged masters of the island. Many tried to find the treasure, but the search ended either without results, or the seekers died from bites.

There are stories that give you goosebumps. There is a lighthouse on the island to warn tourists of danger. Now it works automatically, but it was once done manually by a caretaker who lived here with his wife and children. One night, snakes made their way into the house, the residents ran out into the street in fear, but were bitten by reptiles hanging from the trees.

One day, a fisherman discovered an island on the horizon and decided to try various fruits and soak up the sun. He could not do this: after he went down to the island, the snakes bit the poor fellow and he barely managed to reach the boat, where he died in agony. The body was found in the boat, and there was blood everywhere.

Rich people tried to drive the snakes off the island so they could make it a banana plantation. It was planned to set the forest on fire, but it was not possible to realize the plan, since the workers were constantly attacked by reptiles. There was another attempt: the workers put on rubber suits, but the intense heat did not allow them to wear such protective equipment, as people were simply suffocating. Thus, victory remained with the animals.

This part of the land in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is called Queimada Grande, and is popularly called “Snake Island”. The territory is quite small. Its area is just under 0.5 km², and its height reaches almost 200 meters.

Yes, this place is indeed very dangerous. No wonder the local government even issued a decree prohibiting visiting the island. Queimada Grande is home to a huge number of species of snakes. It is even home to the deadliest snake on earth – the island bothrops. The bite of this creature first causes necrosis of the skin tissue, then the bite site swells, and after this the internal organs may even bleed. The result is one - death. It is true that there is an antidote for the bite of this snake, but it is not a fact that it can help the victim.

The island itself is really very beautiful. There is pristine nature, excellent landscapes that evoke admiration, a beautiful golden sandy beach, but all this is beyond human access. The reason for this was the inhabitants of this island - snakes, of which there are thousands and tens of thousands. As the researchers reported, there are 3 representatives of these unpleasant animals per square meter. Agree, a lot. Every step on the island could be your last. That is why it is impossible to meet anyone here. Snakes feed on birds, which, after a long flight, unsuspectingly land on land. These seconds become fatal for birds.

Like any interesting place on earth, it is not complete without its legends. They sound quite plausible, so it is quite possible that this is not fiction at all. According to the first legend, a lost sailor once sailed to the island, who wanted to pamper his stomach with the fruits that grow on the island. However, before he could reach the shore, snakes crawled into his boat and left him no chance of survival.

According to the second legend, there was a lighthouse on the island, and the keeper’s family lived in it. One night, snakes entered the room and began to attack all family members. They tried to get out of the lighthouse and run away, but they could not hide from the snakes on the island. When the lighthouse stopped sending signals, sailors sailed here and began to inspect the island. The bodies of all members were found near the tower. The lighthouse itself is now infested with these deadly creatures.

Despite the ban on visiting the island, particularly curious people try to sneak here secretly. Also, for a good amount of money, local residents who know the island well are ready to give you a tour of it. But before you go to Queimada Grande, you should protect yourself with special equipment and clothing.

Today, this island is considered the most dangerous in Brazil, and one of the most dangerous in the world. Research is regularly conducted here and documentaries are filmed.

There is a place on earth that is similar in nature and terrible in nature. It's called .