The Honey Badger: The Nemesis of Venomous Snakes. What Would Happen if Thousands were Released into a “Snake Den”?
Snake Island Dalian – The “Domain” of the Green Viper in China
With a plethora of snakes residing on Xiaolong Island, this “kingdom” of reptiles is exclusively inhabited by snakes, and is also known as Snake Island.
This island is home to over 200 species of plants, but only one species of animal exists: snakes. Scientists estimate that there are up to 20,000 green vipers living in every nook and cranny of the island, from forests and caves to mountains and valleys.
Snake Island Dalian is part of the Xiaolongshan National Nature Reserve, located in the Bohai Sea, northwest of Lushunkou District, Dalian Port City, Liaoning Province (China).
Snake Island is approximately 1,500 meters long, 800 meters wide, and has a total area of about 1.2 square kilometers. The highest peak reaches 216.9 meters above sea level and is surrounded by cliffs, except for a pebbly beach in the southeast corner.
Aerial view of Snake Island. (Photo: Baidu).
Millions of years ago, this area was not an island but rather small peaks connected to the mainland. Due to tectonic activity, the connection between Snake Island and the mainland was severed, eventually separating it into the sea, 7 nautical miles from land.
Today, Snake Island still harbors a natural wonder: the vipers here are the only snakes in the world that hibernate… during the summer.
This is because green vipers are carnivorous, but there are no other animals present on the island. Fortunately, due to the 200 species of plants that thrive here, it becomes a paradise for migratory birds in late fall to early winter.
Therefore, throughout the summer, when food is scarce, the green vipers on Snake Island must adapt to fasting and reducing their activity (similar to the hibernation process of other snake species) to conserve energy, waiting for winter to hunt and feast on migratory birds—their only food source.
This illustrates the extreme resilience of this snake species. In a place slightly over 1 square kilometer with 20,000 snakes, it highlights the fierce competition for food as well as the “tenacity” of the green vipers enduring the harsh winter to find sustenance.
A green viper climbing a branch to catch a bird. (Photo: CGTN).
Since there are no other animals living on Snake Island, the green vipers monopolize the island and consequently have no natural enemies. No other animals can harm them—except for competition for food among their own kind.
In light of this, Sohu (a Chinese news outlet) posed a hypothetical scenario: If two honey badgers were released onto this island, would these two “nemeses of venomous snakes” consume all 20,000 of these highly venomous snakes?
First, we need to address the question: “Are honey badgers afraid of snake venom?”
Every year, 2.7 million people are bitten by venomous snakes worldwide. Among them, up to 400,000 are permanently disabled, and between 81,000 to 138,000 die, according to a scientific study published in Nature in 2023.
The toxins in snake venom can paralyze muscles, destroy tissues, and even cause uncontrollable bleeding in victims. The venom of the green viper on Snake Island contains blood toxins that attack the circulatory system.
However, this terrifying venom does not always take effect. For instance, the honey badger, dubbed the “flat-headed boss,” has a natural resistance to snake venom.
The honey badger is an omnivorous animal.
Diving deeper, American scientists discovered that some mutations in the honey badger’s genes have altered receptors so that the alpha-neurotoxin in cobra venom cannot paralyze the honey badger. Although this only proves the honey badger’s resistance to neurotoxins and does not confirm resistance to other types of snake venom, it shows that honey badgers have indeed evolved specifically to deal with venomous snakes.
In fact, the diet of this animal, recognized by the Guinness World Records as the “most fearless animal,” includes venomous snakes (including cobras and black mambas…). About 25% of the honey badger’s diet comes from this reptile.
This is why scientists refer to honey badgers as “the nemesis of venomous snakes.”
What Would Happen?
Returning to the hypothetical question: If two honey badgers were released onto this island, would these two “nemeses of venomous snakes” consume all 20,000 of these highly venomous snakes?
The answer is NO, because the green vipers on Snake Island are not foolish. On the contrary, they are very perceptive and cunning.
Firstly, consider their ability to detect enemies. The green vipers on Snake Island possess a function on their jaw called a “heat sensor,” allowing them to detect a 1/1000 temperature change from a close distance.
Secondly, the green vipers are very quick. They can learn and react within 1/10 of a second. As ambush predators, green vipers have evolved to have extremely quick reflexes; otherwise, how could they hunt agile prey like birds?
As ambush snakes, their camouflage ability is exceptional; otherwise, they would not be able to catch fast-moving prey like birds. They have a habit of hiding in crevices, caves, and dead tree trunks.
Thirdly, this snake species is excellent at camouflage. Thanks to the patterns on their bodies (resembling tree bark) and their ability to mimic surrounding objects, green vipers on Snake Island can deceive their foes.
Green vipers on Snake Island exhibit unique reproductive characteristics.
Fourthly, consider their reproductive characteristics. Among the three reproductive methods of snakes—egg-laying (oviparous), live-bearing (viviparous), and ovoviviparous—the green vipers of Snake Island have evolved to reproduce in an ovoviviparous manner. This means they will also produce eggs, but the eggs hatch inside their bodies before being born outside. This adaptation is due to the harsh environment on Snake Island, where ovoviviparity significantly increases the survival rate of the hatchlings.
As for the honey badger, its lifespan is 24 years. With the prolific breeding rate of green vipers, it would be challenging for honey badgers to consume tens of thousands of snakes throughout their lifetime (assuming they eat one snake per day). Not to mention, sweet foods (honey and bee larvae) as well as roots, tubers, berries, and fruits are the honey badger’s favorite dishes.
Additionally, the most common behavior of honey badgers is digging burrows and doing nothing. They enjoy resting, almost daily.
Moreover, honey badgers are found in most of the sub-Saharan regions of Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Western Asia. They prefer to live in warm rainforests to cooler mountainous areas. Therefore, the winter on Snake Island could be quite harsh for them.
Considering the characteristics of both green vipers and honey badgers, it is evident that regardless of the circumstances, two honey badgers would not be able to consume all the snakes on Snake Island Dalian.
In the 1950s, some surveys indicated that there were between 10,000 to 50,000 green vipers on Snake Island. However, by 1982, the number had dropped to around 9,000, a record low. As a result, China established the Xiaolongshan National Nature Reserve to protect this unique venomous snake, which has subsequently increased the population of this cold-blooded reptile.
