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Venomous animals in South Africa

142 venomous and poisonous animals live in South Africa. The most dangerous come first.

37 animals here can be deadly.

  • Deadly10
  • Can kill27
  • Needs a doctor32
  • Just hurts50
  • Harmless23

The most dangerous here

Black mambaCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyDeathstalkerScorpionsDeadlyEgyptian cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyPuff adderVipers & addersDeadlyCape cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyEastern green mambaCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyJameson's mambaCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyNortheast African carpet viperVipers & addersDeadlyWest African carpet viperVipers & addersDeadlyWestern green mambaCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyBoomslangRear-fanged snakesCan killFat-tailed scorpionScorpionsCan kill

Cobras, mambas & kraits

Black mambaCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyEgyptian cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyCape cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyEastern green mambaCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyJameson's mambaCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyWestern green mambaCobras, mambas & kraitsDeadlyBlack-necked spitting cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killForest cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killMozambique spitting cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killRed spitting cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killSnouted cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killZebra spitting cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killBlack forest cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killBrown forest cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killMali cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killSenegalese cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killWest African banded cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsCan killRinkhalsCobras, mambas & kraitsNeeds a doctorCape coral snakeCobras, mambas & kraitsNeeds a doctorShield-nosed cobraCobras, mambas & kraitsNeeds a doctorEast African garter snakeCobras, mambas & kraitsJust hurtsSundevall's garter snakeCobras, mambas & kraitsJust hurts

Vipers & adders

Puff adderVipers & addersDeadlyNortheast African carpet viperVipers & addersDeadlyWest African carpet viperVipers & addersDeadlyGaboon viperVipers & addersCan killWest African Gaboon viperVipers & addersCan killJoger's saw-scaled viperVipers & addersCan killWhite-bellied carpet viperVipers & addersCan killHorned adderVipers & addersNeeds a doctorSpiny bush viperVipers & addersNeeds a doctorBerg adderVipers & addersNeeds a doctorDesert mountain adderVipers & addersNeeds a doctorLowland swamp viperVipers & addersNeeds a doctorMany-horned adderVipers & addersNeeds a doctorMount Rungwe bush viperVipers & addersNeeds a doctorSahara sand viperVipers & addersNeeds a doctorWestern bush viperVipers & addersNeeds a doctorRhombic night adderVipers & addersJust hurtsAlbany adderVipers & addersJust hurtsGreen night adderVipers & addersJust hurtsNamaqua dwarf adderVipers & addersJust hurtsPlain mountain adderVipers & addersJust hurtsRed adderVipers & addersJust hurtsSnouted night adderVipers & addersJust hurtsSouthern adderVipers & addersJust hurtsUzungwe viperVipers & addersJust hurts

Rear-fanged snakes

BoomslangRear-fanged snakesCan killCape twig snakeRear-fanged snakesCan killForest twig snakeRear-fanged snakesCan killSmall-scaled burrowing aspRear-fanged snakesCan killVariable burrowing aspRear-fanged snakesCan killBibron's stiletto snakeRear-fanged snakesNeeds a doctorBlanding's tree snakeRear-fanged snakesNeeds a doctorSlender burrowing aspRear-fanged snakesNeeds a doctorMontpellier snakeRear-fanged snakesJust hurtsEastern Montpellier snakeRear-fanged snakesJust hurtsNatal black snakeRear-fanged snakesJust hurtsOlive grass snakeRear-fanged snakesJust hurtsSchokari sand racerRear-fanged snakesHarmlessStripe-bellied sand snakeRear-fanged snakesHarmless

Venomous lizards

Desert monitorVenomous lizardsJust hurts

Spiders

Six-eyed sand spiderSpidersNeeds a doctorBlack button spiderSpidersNeeds a doctorEast coast button spiderSpidersNeeds a doctorWest coast button spiderSpidersNeeds a doctorBrown widowSpidersJust hurtsNoble false widowSpidersJust hurtsFalse katipoSpidersJust hurtsKaroo button spiderSpidersJust hurtsPhinda button spiderSpidersJust hurtsWhite widowSpidersJust hurtsZimbabwe brown button spiderSpidersJust hurtsWasp spiderSpidersHarmlessBarn funnel weaverSpidersHarmlessCommon house spiderSpidersHarmlessCommon rain spiderSpidersHarmlessCupboard spiderSpidersHarmlessSpitting spiderSpidersHarmlessTriangulate cobweb spiderSpidersHarmlessWoodlouse spiderSpidersHarmless

Tarantulas & funnel-webs

Featherleg baboon spiderTarantulas & funnel-websNeeds a doctorTogo starburst tarantulaTarantulas & funnel-websNeeds a doctorKing baboon spiderTarantulas & funnel-websJust hurtsOrange baboon tarantulaTarantulas & funnel-websJust hurtsCameroon red baboon spiderTarantulas & funnel-websJust hurtsGibraltar funnel-web spiderTarantulas & funnel-websJust hurtsGolden blue-leg baboon spiderTarantulas & funnel-websJust hurtsHorned baboon spiderTarantulas & funnel-websJust hurtsEuropean purseweb spiderTarantulas & funnel-websHarmless

Scorpions

DeathstalkerScorpionsDeadlyFat-tailed scorpionScorpionsCan killArabian fat-tailed scorpionScorpionsCan killTransvaal thick-tailed scorpionScorpionsCan killBlack fat-tailed scorpionScorpionsCan killGranulated thick-tailed scorpionScorpionsCan killCommon yellow scorpionScorpionsJust hurtsEmperor scorpionScorpionsHarmlessFlat rock scorpionScorpionsHarmless

Centipedes

Mediterranean banded centipedeCentipedesJust hurts

Bees, wasps & hornets

Western honey beeBees, wasps & hornetsJust hurtsEuropean paper waspBees, wasps & hornetsJust hurtsGerman waspBees, wasps & hornetsJust hurtsLarge velvet antBees, wasps & hornetsJust hurtsEmerald cockroach waspBees, wasps & hornetsHarmlessEuropean beewolfBees, wasps & hornetsHarmlessMammoth waspBees, wasps & hornetsHarmless

Ants

Matabele antAntsJust hurtsAfrican stink antAntsJust hurtsElectric antAntsJust hurts

Caterpillars & bugs

Pine processionaryCaterpillars & bugsJust hurtsDo not touchWhite-spotted assassin bugCaterpillars & bugsJust hurtsPine-tree lappetCaterpillars & bugsJust hurtsDo not touchRed-spotted assassin bugCaterpillars & bugsJust hurtsCommon backswimmerCaterpillars & bugsHarmlessHouse pseudoscorpionCaterpillars & bugsHarmlessWater scorpionCaterpillars & bugsHarmless

Jellyfish & sea stingers

Benguela compass jellyJellyfish & sea stingersJust hurtsDo not touchBarrel jellyfishJellyfish & sea stingersHarmlessBeadlet anemoneJellyfish & sea stingersHarmless

Cone snails & octopuses

Blue sea dragonCone snails & octopusesJust hurtsCommon octopusCone snails & octopusesHarmlessCommon cuttlefishCone snails & octopusesHarmless

Venomous fish

Short-tail stingrayVenomous fishCan killBluespotted ribbontail rayVenomous fishNeeds a doctorDevil firefishVenomous fishNeeds a doctorDo not touchRed scorpionfishVenomous fishNeeds a doctorDo not touchSpotfin lionfishVenomous fishNeeds a doctorDo not touchAfrican lionfishVenomous fishNeeds a doctorDo not touchClearfin lionfishVenomous fishNeeds a doctorDo not touchCowtail stingrayVenomous fishNeeds a doctorKuhl's maskrayVenomous fishNeeds a doctorRound ribbontail rayVenomous fishNeeds a doctorTassled scorpionfishVenomous fishNeeds a doctorDo not touchWeedy scorpionfishVenomous fishJust hurtsDo not touchSmooth freshwater stingrayVenomous fishJust hurts

Poison frogs, toads & newts

Common toadPoison frogs, toads & newtsJust hurtsDo not touch

Other poisonous animals

Fahaka pufferfishOther poisonous animalsCan killAfrican crested ratOther poisonous animalsNeeds a doctorDo not touchCommon quailOther poisonous animalsJust hurtsSpur-winged gooseOther poisonous animalsJust hurtsRed-striped oil beetleOther poisonous animalsJust hurtsDo not touch

Bitten or stung?

Call your local emergency number straight away, then see first aid. First aid

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