#bitis gabonica

One of the ways in which snakes move - rectiliniar motion, here demonstrated by a Gaboon viper

Gaboon viper Bitis gabonica

These guys have the longest fangs of any snake in the world and are super chill about it. Iconic.

They're also gorgeous, of course.

Digital zoo

World of Reptiles, Bronx Zoo (No. 6)

The Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) is a viper species found in the rainforests and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. Like all vipers, it is venomous. It is the largest member of the genus Bitis, and it has the longest fangs of any venomous snake – up to 2 inches (5 cm) in length – and the second-highest venom yield of any snake after the king cobra. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Source: Wikipedia

Crotalus mitchellii is a venomous pit viper species in the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico. The species was named in honor of Silas Weir Mitchell (1829–1914), an American medical doctor who also studied rattlesnake venoms. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

(Bitis gabonica) Gaboon viper

Habitat: Generally found in tropical rain forests & immediate environs. Sometimes persist in deforested areas. Well camouflaged; blends in w/ leaf litter of forest floor. Widely distributed in central, eastern & southern Africa; w/ a subspecies noted for its long nasal horn restricted to western Africa.

Activity and Behavior: Nocturnal. May be found basking in patch of sunlight on forest floor, but more likely to be half-buried in leaf litter. Usually slow-moving & does not flee when approached. Makes very loud hissing noise when disturbed. Strikes only as last resort or if stepped on.

GABOON VIPER Bitis gabonica ©Laura Quick An extremely venomous, but usually docile, ground-dwelling snake found in tropical forests of central and western Africa. It is the heaviest venomous snake in Africa, weighing 8 kg (18 pounds), and it grows to a length of 2 metres (about 7 feet). At 2" it has the longest fangs, which are stored folded back into their mouths. They also carry the second highest venom yield of any snake, next to the Malaysian King cobra.

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