Gabino viper
The West African Gaboon viper (Bitis rhinoceros) is a venomous snake native to West Africa. It is closely related to the Gaboon viper (B. gabonica) but can be easily distinguished by the presence of two large nasal "horns".
The West African Gaboon viper is a large snake with a wide, triangular head. It has a distinctive set of enlarged nasal scales that look like a pair of horns on its nose. The color pattern of this species provides a high degree of camouflage, helping it remain unnoticed among dead leaves under trees.
These vipers are found in West Africa from Togo west to Guinea and possibly to Guinea-Bissau, including the intervening countries (Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone). They live in humid forests, moist savannas, plantations, and even in urban areas.
West African Gaboon vipers are terrestrial slow-moving creatures. They hunt at night by waiting for hours patiently for their prey to pass by. Despite being venomous, these snakes rarely bite; if threatened they typically warn by exhaling air through their nostrils, that sounds like hissing.
West African Gaboon vipers are carnivores. Their diet includes various mammals, rodents, amphibians, and birds.
Females of this species are ovoviviparous. They give birth to between 13 and 15 live young after a gestation of 12 months. They are fully independent from the moment they are born and don't require parental care.
Although West African Gaboon vipers are not threatened at present, they still suffer from the loss of their native habitat, mainly due to deforestation.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the West African Gaboon viper total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern LC) on the IUCN Red List.
