happy friday from a flat, sandy, venomous man

🐍Meet the Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica). Though there are more than 250 kinds of vipers, this venomous species is the largest of them all, growing up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) long! 🌍It inhabits tropical forests in central Africa, including Uganda, Cameroon, and Gabon. Normally slow moving, this reptile is an ambush predator that strikes birds, frogs, and small mammals with lightning speed. Its prey escapes the initial attack… but not for long. The viper’s fangs deliver a toxic venom filled with enzymes that destroy nerves, tissue, and blood cells. Photo: Frupus, CC BY-NC 2.0, flickr #AnimalFacts #dyk #GaboonViper #snakes #viper #reptiles #herpetology #nature https://www.instagram.com/p/ClFCA5tvTNv/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

View from above #illustration #mastersofdisguise #gaboonviper #snake #deer #forest #watercolour #pencil #picturebook https://www.instagram.com/p/B_EmxZ3B3SW/?igshid=cl7qtla5c1qe

Inktober day 10: pattern I love gaboon vipers SO MUCH. This isn't 100% accurate because their patterning is so flipping complicated, but they are just so pretty and chubby. #Inktober #inktober2019 #pattern #snake #gaboonviper #snek #chubbyboy https://www.instagram.com/p/B3b3Rh3HGya/?igshid=h9nn11v1wvr2

GABOON VIPER Bitis gabonica ©Laura Quick This solitary snake is easily recognizable (though often hard to spot) due to its beautiful, symmetrical patterning, it disappears into the leaf litter. As an ambush predator, this nocturnal hunter will hide among the leaves and wait for its prey to pass by. Sometimes its victims will unknowingly walk right on top of the snake, not realizing their mistake until it is too late. With the highest venom yield of all venomous snakes, they have a deadly bite. The number of human fatalities is low as Gaboon vipers tend to be very calm, docile snakes. When threatened, they will initially hold very still and produce a loud, hissing sound as a warning. Unless striking, they tend to be slow-moving. Gaboon viper bites are rare; however, when they bite it is often fatal. Their record-length retractable fangs can be two inches long! #gaboonviper #viper #snake #two-inchfangs #©lauraquick #highestvenomyiel #thelair #los angeles zoo #glaza #lazoo #losangeleszooandbotanicalgardens #docent class #africa #bitisgabonica #ambushpredator #beautiful #animal #reptile https://www.instagram.com/p/B45orJ-HVr3/?igshid=2a6gquf0vn7

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> For more pics, videos & articles visit: herpkeepers.com

> For more pics, videos & articles visit: herpkeepers.com