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Gaboon Viper

Gaboon viper is a venomous viper species native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest member in its genus and the heaviest venomous snake found in Africa. The species has the longest fangs and the highest venom yield among other snakes. There are two recognized subspecies of this snake.

Scientific Classification
Quick Information

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Subphylum	Vertebrata
Class	Reptilia
Order	Squamata
Suborder	Serpentes
Family	Viperidae
Subfamily	Viperinae
Genus	Bitis
Scientific Name	Bitis gabonica

Other Names	Swamp Jack, Gaboon Adder, Butterfly Adder, Forest Puff Adder
Length	Around 125–155 cm; largest specimen recorded is 205 cm
Weight	Up to 20 kg
Color	Comprises of a series of uneven, pale subrectangular patches along the center of the back with dark yellow-edged hourglass markings; brown or fawn rhomboidal shapes on the flanks with pale vertical central bars; pale belly with uneven brown or black patches; white or cream head consisting of a fine dark line at the middle, rear corners have black spots; below and at the back of each eye contains a dark blue-black triangle; iris is cream, orange, yellow-white or silvery
Distribution	Guinea, Ghana, Cameroon, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, eastern Tanzania, Zambia; Sierra Leone and Liberia in West Africa
Habitat	Rainforests, woodlands, grasslands, agricultural areas
Diet	Birds and mammals, rodents, field mice and rats, hares and rabbits
Hibernation Fact	Don’t hibernate
Venom Fact	Cytotoxic
Breeding Season	September – December
Mode of Reproduction	Viviparous (giving birth to live young)
Litter Size	30 to 60
Gestation Period	Around 7 months
Reproductive Age	3 to 5 years of age
Average Lifespan	In Wild: Around 18 years In Captivity: 20 to 22 years
IUCN Conservation Status	Not Listed