Animals That Are Immune To Snake Venom
Honey Badgers The two factors that enable honey badgers to successfully defend themselves against venomous snakes are their thick, loose skin, which shields them from being bitten, and a molecular defense system that protects them from even the deadly venom of cobras.
Hedgehogs Hedgehogs are fascinating creatures that may be immune to both scorpion and snake venom. Nature has also given them an extra defense mechanism in the form of their sharp spines, or quills. These spikes make it unpleasant for snakes to sink their fangs into them.
Skunks Skunks use a smelly, oily liquid to spray over their predators. They also stomp their feet and hiss to warn predators away. Their bodies also have a molecular defense against snake venom neurotoxicity. Due to this immunity, skunks are even able to eat snakes.
California Ground Squirrels Researchers at UC Davis have been studying ground squirrels to understand what makes them immune to rattlesnake venom. They want to use these findings to create better antivenom. The study found that ground squirrels have developed a natural protection against rattlesnake venom over thousands of years of evolution.
Pigs Pigs may have a genetic mutation in their cell receptors that makes them immune to snakes’ neurotoxic venom. This mutation only occurs in pigs after they reach adulthood. Younger pigs do not have this natural protection.
Mongooses Mongooses have specialized acetylcholine receptors that render them immune even to deadly cobra venom. These receptors give them the ability to create a glycoprotein that binds to the protein in the venom and throws it out. It is believed that cobras fear mongooses for this reason.
Woodrats Woodrats may be small in size, but not only are they immune to snake venom, but they can also scratch and bite rattlesnakes to death.
Opossums The North American opossum can survive the bite of the Western Diamond Backed Rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox. Lab studies have also shown North American opossums surviving the bites of copperheads, cottonmouths, moccasins, and Korean mamushi snakes.
Snakes Snakes are typically immune to their own venom. The king cobra, though, is not resistant to the venom of its own kind and could be envenomed and killed by other cobras.