About 90 miles off the coast of Brazil is a jagged little island crawling with snakes so venomous, the government flat-out banned anyone from going there. Locals call it Ilha da Queimada Grande. You probably know it as Snake Island.
Back in 2014, VICE tagged along on the Brazilian Navy’s annual lighthouse mission to document what most people only learn through legend.
Populated by thousands of deadly serpents, every rock and tree on Snake Island hides a golden lancehead viper, armed with venom that can melt human flesh from the inside out. The island is so densely populated with venomous snakes, in fact, that the Brazilian government insists a doctor be present at all legally sanctioned visits. Even with treatment, a bite from the golden lancehead viper carries a three percent chance of death.
Scientists are racing to study the species, whose venom carries a wealth of possible uses—including treatment of heart disease, blood clots, and even cancer—before poachers wipe it out completely. Smugglers are offering tens of thousands of dollars per critically endangered snake. Meanwhile, we’re just trying not to die.
Watch the full video below, or head to the VICE Forever YouTube channel to see what happens when you set foot in one of the most terrifying, heavily guarded ecosystems on Earth. Snake Island is real. And it does not want you there.
The post Would You Visit an Island Populated by Venomous Snakes? We Did. appeared first on VICE.
