ROSEMARY NORTON, VIA EMAIL
No mammals live on the island, so the snakes had no predators to keep their numbers in check, but also very limited prey. With few ground animals to hunt, the snakes became specialists in catching birds that visit the island during their annual migrations.
This diet may explain why their venom is so deadly. Whereas most venomous snakes have the luxury of biting their prey and tracking it until it succumbs to the venom, the golden lancehead needs to kill their prey quickly, before the bird has a chance to fly off.
This story is from the August 2023 edition of BBC Science Focus.
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This story is from the August 2023 edition of BBC Science Focus.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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