Habu
Habu

Habu

Okinawa habu, Kume Shima habu

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Subphylum
Vertebrata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Squamata
Suborder
Serpentes
Family
Viperidae
Genus
Protobothrops
SPECIES
Protobothrops flavoviridis
Population size
Unknown
LENGTH
120-240 cm

The Habu is a species of venomous pit viper native to Japan. It is slenderly built and gracefully proportioned with a large head. The crown of the head is covered with small scales. The Habu has a light olive or brown ground color, overlaid with elongated dark green or brownish blotches. The blotches have yellow edges, sometimes contain yellow spots, and frequently fuse to produce wavy stripes. The belly is whitish with dark coloring along the edges.

No

Nocturnal

Ca

Carnivore

Te

Terrestrial

Pr

Predator

So

Solitary

Se

Sedentary

Distribution

Habu snakes are found on the Japanese Ryukyu Islands, including Okinawa and the Amami Islands. They inhabit forests, grasslands, shrubland, coasts, and cultivated fields. They may also be found on rock walls, in old tombs and caves, and in urban areas.

Geography

Continents
Asia
Subcontinents
East Asia
Countries
Japan

Biome

Tropical moist forests
Shrubland
Intertidal zone
Urban wildlife

Climate zones

Tropical
Habu photo

Habits and Lifestyle

Habu snakes are solitary, terrestrial, and mostly nocturnal creatures. They often enter homes and other structures in search of rats and mice. Bold and irritable, these aggressive snakes can strike quickly and have a long reach. Their venom is highly toxic. A bite from a Habu snake can cause nausea, vomiting, hypotension, and possibly death. If a bite victim receives medical care promptly, bites are not life-threatening.

Group name
den, nest, pit, bed, knot
Lifestyle
Terrestrial, Predator
Seasonal behavior
Sedentary

Diet and Nutrition

Habus snakes are carnivores. Their diet includes small mammals, snakes, frogs, and birds.

Diet Carnivore

Mating Habits

REPRODUCTION SEASON
early spring
INCUBATION PERIOD
5-6 weeks
FEMALE NAME
female
MALE NAME
male
BABY NAME
snakelet
BABY CARRYING
1-18 eggs

Habu snakes are oviparous and lay eggs. The breed in early spring and in mid-summer females lay up to 18 eggs. The hatchlings, which emerge after an incubation period of 5-6 weeks, are 25 centimeters (10 in) in length and look the same as the adults.

Habu photo
Population Trend
Decreasing
POPULATION STATUS
Least concern (LC)
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Population

Population threats

The main threats to the Habu include exploitation and persecution by humans. On the island of Okinawa, these snakes are heavily collected, primarily for use in habushu (liqueur), alleged to have medicinal properties.

Population number

The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Habu total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.

References

1. Habu on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protobothrops_flavoviridis
2. Habu on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/96265495/96265515

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