Nickname: Snake Island | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of Ilha da Queimada Grande | |
  Ilha da Queimada Grande Location of Ilha da Queimada Grande in Brazil | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 24°29′10″S 46°40′30″W / 24.48611°S 46.67500°W |
| Area | 430,000 m2 (4,600,000 sq ft) |
| Highest elevation | 206 m (676 ft) |
| Administration | |
| State | State of São Paulo |
| Municipality | Itanhaém |
| Administered by | Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Ilha da Queimada Grande, more commonly referred to as Snake Island, is an island off the coast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean. The island became famous for its abundant snakes, hence the name "Snake Island." It is administered as part of the municipality of Itanhaém in the State of São Paulo. The island is small, with an area of only 43 hectares (106 acres), and has a temperate climate. Its terrain varies from bare rock to rainforest.
The island is the only natural home of the critically endangered, venomous Bothrops insularis (golden lancehead pit viper), which has a diet of birds. The snakes became trapped on the island thousands of years ago following the end of the last ice age when rising ocean levels disconnected the island from the mainland. The ensuing evolutionary pressure allowed the snakes to adapt to their new environment, increasing rapidly in population and rendering the island dangerous to public visitation.
Queimada Grande is closed to the public for the protection of both people and snakes; access is available only to the Brazilian Navy and selected researchers vetted by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, the Brazilian federal conservation unit.[1][2][3]