World's deadliest snake discovered in Indian shipping container after arriving at Essex dock



Saw-scaled vipers kill more people than any other snake as they live in populated areas

Wildlife volunteers had the shock of their lives when they were called to rescue a slippery stowaway and discovered it was the world's deadliest snake.



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



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

Journey: The snake is believed to be a stowaway from India and is at a wildlife hospital waiting to be re-homed



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

