Which venomous snake is responsible for the most snakebite deaths in the world?

The saw-scaled viper is widely regarded as the snake responsible for the most human snakebite deaths worldwide. The name covers several species in the genus Echis, rather than one single snake species.

Saw-scaled vipers live across dry parts of Africa, the Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. They are relatively small, but their defensive behavior, broad distribution, close proximity to rural communities, and medically serious venom make them major causes of fatal envenoming. In India, the Indian saw-scaled viper is one of the “Big Four” snakes responsible for many serious bites.

Their venom can cause severe bleeding disorders, tissue damage, swelling, and organ failure. When threatened, the snake often coils into a series of loops and rubs its rough scales together, producing a sizzling warning sound. Exact global rankings are difficult because snakebite deaths are substantially underreported, but “saw-scaled viper” is the standard quiz answer to this question.