Caucasus Viper Snake

Facts about Caucasus Viper snake. "Scientific name for Caucasus Viper snake is Vipera kaznakovi". Caucasus Viper snake is a Vipera type of venomous snake that is one of the members of the Viperidae family. The Caucasus Viper snakes are prevalent in Russia, Georgia and Turkey, and their common names include Vipera kaznakovi, Kaznakov’s viper, Kaznakow's viper and Caucasus adder. They usually live in the beds of damp ravines, the forested slopes of the mountains and post-forested clearings. At the upper boundary of its altitudinal sharing, the Caucasus Viper snake attains the coniferous forests region, but is not seen deep in this woodland type.

Features of Caucasus Viper snake

The Caucasus Viper snake has a well-built body, and usually, the male snakes are more slender and shorter than the females. Matured Caucasus Viper snakes have a maximum body length, ranging from 26 inches (66 cm) to 28 inches (71 cm), whereas the females have a maximum body length of 24 inches (60 cm).

The body color of the Caucasus Viper snake will differ significantly, ranging from yellow color to dark red. Very rarely, the color of the body of the snake can be completely black, even though elaborately marked snakes are more common. The most distinctive body marking of the Caucasus Viper snakes is a brown or black color stripe, occasionally barred, which runs the whole length of the back of the snake. As the Caucasus Viper snake contains huge poison glands, the head of this snake is broad, small, and spade-shaped, and visually separate from the neck. Usually, the head of the snake bears a dark V-shaped mark and a line runs from its eye to the mouth. The mouth of the Caucasus Viper snake contains hollow fangs that are used to introduce the strong poison into the prey.

The Caucasian viper is well-known for its poison, which is more powerful than that of most other snake varieties in its family. The venom of the snake has unique medical characteristics, which has been exercised for thousands of years to prevent heavy blood loss.

The Caucasus Viper snake is threatened with unlawful over collection for the global pet trade. Additional threats comprise home renovations for the urban growth, agriculture and tourism. It is turning out to be uncommon all through the Black Sea coastal division of its range, with several snakes already extirpated. Major threats to the home of the lowland Caucasus Viper snakes include the growth of tourism, like health resorts and housing development, and agricultural growth, as well as the ploughing of sub-montane regions. In Turkey, the Caucasus Viper snake is additionally threatened by development to build dams within its collection.

Diet of Caucasus Viper snake

The Caucasus Viper snake mostly feed on mice, lizards and rats, but these snakes will also feed on frogs, birds and other animals. Some of the smallest snakes feed on locusts, a kind of grasshopper.

Reproduction of Caucasus Viper snake

The Caucasus Viper is viviparous, so when the mother snake is wounded or killed, the whole litter is affected. Caucasus Viper snakes will emerge from hibernation in March on the Black Sea coastline, but at heights of 2,000 feet (609 meters) to 2,600 feet (792 meters) above sea level. The Caucasus Viper snake emerges in the second part of April or the start of May. The reproduction process commences from the last part of March and continues until the middle part of May. For coastal snakes, the hibernation starts in the beginning of November, and at the last part of September, and for highland snakes it starts in the beginning of October. The female Caucasus Viper snake gives birth to young ones during the last part of August or the first part of September.

The average lifespan of the Caucasus Viper snake ranges from 40 years to 50 years.