Description ²

INTRODUCTION

• Venomous Pit Viper
• Other names : Bamboo pit viper, Indian green pit viper, Common green pit viper
• Most widespread pit viper in India. Usually doesn't come in contact with humans.
• Bites are rare and are usually not fatal due to small size and low toxicity of venom.

IDENTIFICATION

• Triangular head much broader than neck, heat sensing pits between eyes and nostrils
• Green dorsal sometimes marked with faint black markings.
• Small weekly keeled scales, yellowish belly and vertical pupils.
• Very small snakes, grow to 2 feet on average.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

• Widespread throughout dense forests of peninsular India.
• Found in the Hilly regions of Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.
• Prefer cool, thick vegetation near stream edges, bamboo and dense jungles.
• Hides among dense bushes and tree holes.

DIET AND BEHAVIOR

• Primarily feed on Frogs, Lizards and Rodents.
• Nocturnal and arboreal snakes who are ambush predators.
• Rely on camouflage and sleep in open during the day.
• Usually tries to escape and is non-offensive.
• When harassed with, they will try to bite and have fast strikes.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Vinay Gogula, all rights reserved, uploaded by Vinay Gogula
2. (c) Vinay Gogula, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HerpMapper
• Snake Database
• The Reptile Database
• VertNet

iNat Map