Whenever we think about an island, the first picture of our imagination includes dreamy turquoise waters, palm trees, astounding white sand beaches and thrilling serene breathtaking views, but treacherous thoughts never come our way. The world ecompasses of 900,000 official islands but you might have never heard of an island which is dangerous and death-dealing and where the homo sapiens are not permitted to visit.
Famous with the name of ‘Deadliest island’, this isle is a home for venomous snakes, where no footprints of human beings exist. Believed to be among the ‘World’s Top 3 dangerous unsafe destinations’,is the ‘Snake island’, located in the country of football, Brazil. It is found 33 kilometres away from the city of Sao Paulo.
The other name for the snake island in Portuguese is ‘Ilha da Queimada Grande’. It is estimated that 103 acre deadliest isle is home to approximately 500,000 vipers.
Eleven thousand years ago, the sea level rise separated this tiny isle from the main territory of Brazil forming the snake island, remote from the birthmark of human existence. The birds, insects and animals are prey of the Golden Lancehead Vipers, one of the Top 10 deadliest snakes in the world found on this isle.
Horror rumours stories of the island
There are rumours that the poisonous snakes on the isle killed the only family of lighthouse keepers who used to live in the lighthouse on the island. The incident created horror among the human population and therefore, in the year 1920 the Brazilian administration banned any human visit to the unsafe place. It is believed that the family lived there to give signals to the ships and dissuade them not to visit the place.
No sign of the family was found whether some say that the family just left the island one day. However, no contact traces of the lighthouse keepers have been found. The truth about what happened to the family is still blurry.
“There was a family living on the island and one night snakes entered the lighthouse and bit every member of the family. Since then, we do not know where they went. Their bodies were also not found”, said one of the locals in conversation with an Australian news channel.
After the incidents, no one dared to step foot on the snake island, however, sometimes the researchers and biologists visit the island for research purposes with the permission of the Brazilian government under proper established safety measures.
Pirate story
There is also a word on the street believing the snakes were brought to the island by pirates with the motive to safeguard the reward of a buried treasure which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Treasure of Snake island
Experts and researchers noted that the isle holds Incan gold treasure worth $400 million. A group of real-life treasure hunters continue their quest to search for treasure, but yet have not discovered it. Their search has been shown via a show by the name of ‘Treasure Quest’ which has 3 seasons broadcasted on the Discovery channel. Many have gone in search of treasure during the past 500 years but either they died of snakebite or never returned, leaving no clue of them being alive.
Various other media outlets such as Nat Geographic and 60 Minutes Australia also went to the dangerous island with an expert team of biologists and snake scientists. The modern pirates are still in the hunt for treasure. The researchers further informed that there is one snake to every square metre. A bit of evidence found by the researchers while searching for the treasure, increases the possibility of treasure’s presence on the isle.
Life-saver venom of viper
Despite the fact that venom of viper (Bothrops insularis) can melt the human flesh, it is believed by the scientists that the poison is also a life-saver which can be further used in the medication to protect human life. The samples of the venom taken from the viper can help produce anti-blood clotting medicine, making vipers one of the significant species which are needed to be conserved.
The Golden viper is considered ‘endangered’ and is put on the TUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
These all stories related to snake island excite people while increasing their curiosity to know about the treasure trove which still lies as a mystery. One might never be able to know whether these all are just ‘cooked up’ stories or if there is a truth behind them.
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