Gaboon Viper - Bitis gabonica

**Scientific classification:**

**Kingdom:** Animalia.

**Phylum:** Chordata.

**Subphylum:** Vertebrata.

**Class:** Reptilia.

**Order:** Squamata.

**Suborder:** Serpentes.

**Family:** Viperidae.

**Subfamily:** Viperinae.

**Genus:** Bitis.

**Species:** *Bitis gabonica.*

**Conservation Status:**

**IUCN Red List:** Not Evaluated.

**US Federal List:** No special status.

**CITES:** No special status.

Gaboon vipers are not currently considered threatened.

**Geographic Range:**

Gaboon vipers are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

**Habitat:**

Gaboon vipers are abundant in rainforests and other moist, tropical habitats.

They tend to take shelter in the leaf litter of forest floors.

**Physical Description:**

Gaboon vipers are large snakes, the largest of the vipers, with an average adult length of about 1.

2 meters.

However, some have been recorded as large as 2.

2 m long or greater.

They can weigh up 10 kg with a head about 12.

7 cm wide and fangs about 5 cm long.

One adult female with an empty stomach, measuring 5ft 8.

5in, weighed 18lbs.

(Wood '73).

Gaboon vipers have triangular heads with prominent rostral horns.

There is also a very dark line down the centre of the head and two dark spots above each side of the jaw.

The scales are ridged and keeled on the majority of the body, however there are a few rows of scales on the lowest part of both sides that are smooth.

There are 28 to 40 rows of scales in the middle part of the body, an average of 125 to 140 rows on the ventral side.

Males and females differ in the number of scales they have (females having less than 135 rows and males having less than 132 rows).

Colour patterns of gaboon vipers are truly stunning, forming a symmetrical design that makes a unique pattern on the scales.

The base colour is typically a brown or purple colour.

On top of that are yellow, quadrangular shapes, that are aligned neatly over the centre of the back.

These shapes have hourglass brown spaces, and along the sides of the body are triangular patterns, which are the brown or purple colouring and in between the series of triangles are yellow and purple stains.

The ventral side is a light yellow colour with dark spots sprinkled throughout.

This camouflage pattern is adaptive in helping gaboon vipers blend into their surroundings.

Their eyes are greyish with a hint of silver.

**Development:**

Gaboon vipers are viviparous, with a 7 month gestation period.

They give birth to about 30 or more offspring at once.

**Reproduction:**

**Breeding season:** September - December.

**Number of offspring:** 20 to 50; avg.

**Gestation period:** 7 months (average).

Observations of gaboon vipers kept in captivity have lead to some information about their mating systems.

Gaboon vipers generally mate in the rainy season, so spraying water on the vipers in captivity helps to mimic the rainy season.

The female will then get restless and lift her tail, showing the male that she is ready to mate.

They may sway back and forth as well.

Gaboon vipers mate during the rainy season in Africa, which is between September and December.

The gaboon viper is viviparous, with a 7 month gestation period, and gives birth to about 30 or 40 offspring at once. ()

When the offspring are born, they are already as big as 30 cm long and already have adult-looking patterns on their scales.

There is no real parental care once the offspring are born.

**Lifespan/Longevity:**

**Average lifespan (captivity):** 18 years.

There is no information on the longevity of gaboon vipers.

**Behaviour:**

Gaboon vipers are nocturnal and solitary.

They are most active around sunset, when they emerge from a dark hiding place in search of prey.

They generally lie perfectly still, blending in with the leaves of the forest floor, waiting for prey to cross their path.

**Communication and Perception:**

Gaboon vipers, like other vipers, detect vibrations, chemical signals, and visual cues.

Using all to detect and attack prey.

There is nothing known about how gaboon vipers communicate, but they may use chemical cues to to locate receptive mates.

**Food Habits:**

Gaboon vipers await their prey from a hiding spot and quickly attack with 5 cm fangs, injecting toxic venom into the tissues of the prey.

They eat primarily small mammals, such as rodents, ground-living or feeding birds (such as francolins or doves), and frogs and toads.

Specimens of gaboon vipers have been found to have ingested giant rats (*Cricetomys gambianus*), brush-tailed porcupines (*Atherurus africanus*), and fully grown royal antelopes (*Neotragus pygmaeus*).