Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Snakes in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
175+ snake species have been recorded in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), 35 venomous.
Snakes of Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) has 175+ snake species recorded in our database, 35 of them venomous. The great majority of species are non-venomous, which means that most snakes a person encounters in the country pose no venom threat to humans. Venezuela sits at the northern edge of South America, spanning the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts, the Orinoco basin, the Andes, and a large share of the Amazon, and this range of environments is what produces such a deep and varied snake fauna.
The country's geography is the main driver of its diversity. Lowland Amazon rainforest in the south holds the richest reptile communities, while the vast Llanos grasslands, the wetlands and gallery forests of the Orinoco, the cloud forests of the Andes and the Coastal Range, and the distinctive tepui highlands of the Guiana Shield each support their own assemblages. Mangrove coasts, dry scrub, rivers, and seasonal floodplains add further niches. Snakes occupy nearly all of these settings, from arboreal forest dwellers to burrowing, aquatic, and ground-living forms, so species composition shifts sharply from one region to another.
Among the venomous snakes, the medically important groups in Venezuela are the pit vipers and the coral snakes, both within the broad category responsible for the country's serious snakebites. The pit vipers include lanceheads of the genus Bothrops and their relatives, which are widespread across forest and agricultural land and account for the largest share of bites, along with the bushmaster (Lachesis), a very large forest viper, and rattlesnakes of the genus Crotalus found in drier open country. Coral snakes of the genus Micrurus are also present and carry potent venom, though they are secretive and bite people far less often. There are no cobras or mambas in Venezuela, as those are Old World groups. Venezuela's Caribbean and Atlantic waters are outside the natural range of the venomous sea snakes of the Indo-Pacific, so the venomous threat is overwhelmingly land based.
The non-venomous majority is large and ecologically central. It includes the green anaconda, one of the heaviest snakes in the world and a famous resident of the Llanos and Orinoco wetlands, along with boa constrictors and tree boas. Many slender, fast colubrid snakes hunt frogs, lizards, and rodents in forest and grassland, and there are racers, water snakes, blunt-headed tree snakes, and small burrowing species that are rarely noticed. These snakes are harmless to people and make up the bulk of what anyone is likely to see.
Snakes provide real ecological value. As predators they control populations of rodents and other small animals, which limits crop damage and reduces the spread of disease carried by rodents around farms and homes. They are also prey for birds, mammals, and larger reptiles, so they sit in the middle of the food web and help keep these systems in balance. A healthy snake population is a sign of a functioning landscape.
On safety, the honest picture is that most snakes in Venezuela are harmless and the main medical threat comes from the pit vipers, especially the lanceheads, with coral snakes and the bushmaster as additional but rarer concerns. No wild venomous snake should ever be handled, and no one should attempt to catch or kill one, since most bites happen during exactly those attempts. The correct response to a venomous bite is to get the person to a hospital as quickly as possible, where antivenom and supportive medical care are the treatment. In the United States contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, and elsewhere call local emergency services. Do not rely on field first aid in place of professional care.
Snakes in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of): FAQ
- Are there venomous snakes in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)?
- Yes. 35 venomous snake species have verified records in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), including Common Lancehead, Neotropical Rattlesnake, Venezuela Lancehead, Redtail Coralsnake. Most snakes in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), however, are harmless.
- How many snake species live in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)?
- 175+ snake species have verified records in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), of which 35 are venomous.
- What is the most commonly seen snake in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)?
- The Paraiba Cat-eyed Snake is the most frequently reported snake in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), based on verified wildlife observations.
- What should I do if I see a venomous snake in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)?
- Keep your distance and do not try to catch or kill it. Most bites happen when people handle or corner a snake. If someone is bitten, contact local emergency services or poison control immediately.
Venomous snakes in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Neotropical RattlesnakeCrotalus durissusVenomousHeavy body, broad triangular head, vertical (cat-like) pupils, and a segmented keratin rattle at the tail tip.
Redtail CoralsnakeMicrurus mipartitusVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Venezuelan CoralsnakeMicrurus isozonusVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Pygmy CoralsnakeMicrurus dissoleucusVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Transandean Capuchin CoralsnakeMicrurus dumeriliiVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Natterer's CoralsnakeMicrurus nattereriVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
- No photo
Ribbon CoralsnakeMicrurus lemniscatusVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Amazon CoralsnakeMicrurus spixiiVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Trinidad Northern CoralsnakeMicrurus circinalisVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Carib CoralsnakeMicrurus psychesVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Trinidad Ribbon Coral SnakeMicrurus diutiusVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Merida CoralsnakeMicrurus meridensisVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Neblina CoralsnakeMicrurus remotusVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Aquatic CoralsnakeMicrurus surinamensisVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Southern CoralsnakeMicrurus frontalisVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Caatinga CoralsnakeMicrurus ibibobocaVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Timber RattlesnakeCrotalus horridusVenomousHeavy body, broad triangular head, vertical (cat-like) pupils, and a segmented keratin rattle at the tail tip.
Central American CoralsnakeMicrurus nigrocinctusVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Hemprich's CoralsnakeMicrurus hemprichiiVenomousRings of red, yellow, and black where red touches yellow; small rounded head and round pupils.
Aruba Island RattlesnakeCrotalus unicolorVenomousHeavy body, broad triangular head, vertical (cat-like) pupils, and a segmented keratin rattle at the tail tip.
Every snake recorded in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
175+ species across 8 families, grouped by family. Venomous flagged.
Colubridae (136)
Viperidae (18)
Elapidae (17)
Boidae (10)
Leptotyphlopidae (9)
Anomalepididae (3)
Typhlopidae (2)
Aniliidae (1)
Compiled from verified GBIF & iNaturalist observations. "How often seen" reflects how frequently a snake is reported here, not how dangerous it is. Informational only.
Keep learning
- Are Snakes Dangerous? The Real Risk, in PerspectiveMost snakes are harmless and avoid people. Here is the honest picture of snakebite risk worldwide and how to lower your own.
- Snakebite First Aid: What to Do (and What Never to Do)A clear, CDC-based guide to snakebite first aid: the steps that help, the popular myths that hurt, and how to tell a serious bite from a minor one.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.