Gaboon Viper

Bitis gabonica & Bitis rhinoceros

Reptile

Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing gaboon vipers. There are currently two described gaboon viper species. The western gaboon viper was only recently classified as it was previously considered a subspecies of the gaboon viper. For simplicity's sake, we'll call that species the central gaboon viper. This is in reference to where these snakes live. Gaboon vipers can be found in western and central sub-Saharan Africa with their common names denoting their general trend in range. These large snakes are ground dwellers and use their leaf-like coloration to help them blend in with leaf litter on the forest floor. They also inhabit savannah regions.

Gaboon vipers are some of the largest vipers alive today. They can reach over six feet (1.8m) in length and weigh upwards of twenty pounds (9kg). What's more, they have the longest known fangs of all living venomous snakes. A gaboon viper's fangs can be two inches (5cm) long. Unlike a taipan's fangs, a gaboon viper's fangs fold up along the roof of their mouth when not in use. When they are used, a gaboon viper can deliver a venomous bite capable of killing prey in minutes. Some snakes strike and wait for their prey to perish, but gaboon vipers hold on to the prey and wait with their mouth full. This could be because these snakes are sluggish.

Gaboon vipers are sit and wait predators. They'll remain motionless on the forest floor, typically during twilight hours. When an unsuspecting animal comes along, such as a mouse, rat, bird, frog, or toad, the viper strikes out and catches its meal. Gaboon viper venom is deadly to humans, but they don't often attack people. They give out a loud warning hiss if approached and tend to only bite in self defense. Of course, a stepped on snake may lash out, which is how most injuries from these snakes occur in humans.

Due to their toxic bite and cryptic colors, gaboon vipers top the food chain and don't have to worry about their own predators. These snakes are generally solitary but are known to breed every two to three years. A female gestates for seven months, retaining the eggs in her body until they hatch. After hatching, the female gives birth to upwards of forty, nearly one foot long (30.5cm), live snake babies! They're on their own from birth, but they are believed to average at least a decade of life in the wild!

Western gaboon vipers have enlarged scales on their nose which look like small horns. These are less defined  in central gaboon vipers. Also, central gaboon vipers have two dark triangular spots behind their eyes while western gaboon vipers have only one!

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