Identifying Dangerous Snakes: A Guide to Venomous Species

Of the world's nearly 3,000 snake species, 15 percent pose dangers to humans, according to the Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. The bulk of the venomous snakes within the United States are pit vipers, including rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottomouths. Another common venomous snake in the U.S. is the coral snake. Knowing what a deadly snake looks like can help you avoid danger.

Instructions

• 1

  Notice the snake's eye. Nonvenomous snakes have round pupils, whereas venomous snakes have elliptical, catlike pupils, indicates Utah State University.

• 2

  Rattlesnakes will try to warn you.

  Listen and look for a rattler on the snake. Rattlesnake species have a distinctive ringlike structure on the end of their tails. When a rattlesnake becomes alarmed, it shakes its rattler as a warning for you to avoid it.

• 3

  Copperheads will lack patterns on the head.

  Observe the snake's head. Venomous species have triangular-shape heads, similar to the shape of an arrowhead. See if you can spot pits between the eyes and nostrils of the snake. Nonvenomous snakes lack these pits. Also look at the color of the snake's head. Copperheads have completely copper-colored heads.

• 4

  Identify colors or any markings on the snake. Coral snakes have colorful bands. If you see a snake with red, yellow and black rings, it's a coral snake, points out the Mayo Clinic. This distinctive pattern can help you discern from similar snakes such as the scarlet snake, which also had red and yellow patterns.