Moorish Viper Snake

Facts about Moorish Viper. "Scientific name for Moorish Viper is Macrovipera mauritanica". Moorish Viper is a poisonous viper variety of snake that belongs to the genus Macrovipera of the Viperidae family. The Moorish Viper snakes are native to Africa, and they are largely found in the northwestern parts of Africa, such as Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. The Moorish Viper snake ranges from the northwestern parts of the Sahara, through the majority of Morocco and northern parts of Algeria to the northern parts of Tunisia, and it can be seen at a height of 2,300 meters (7,545 meters) above sea level. Other common names of the Moorish Viper snake include the Sahara rock viper, Atlas adder, Atlas blunt-nosed viper and the Mountain adder. These snakes prefer to live in rock-strewn slopes, open forests and grasslands.

Features of Moorish Viper snake

The Moorish Viper snake is a heavy, sluggish-moving viper that inhabits the ground will attain a maximum body length of 180 cm (70 inches). The Moorish Viper snake variety looks like a typical viper snake variety that hails from the Middle Eastern region, with a dark crisscross, running along the red or brown color back part of its body. Though the Moorish Viper snake varieties are found largely in Africa, they are more closely associated with the vipers that belong to the eastern parts of the Mediterranean region.

The Moorish Viper snake is the biggest viper in Northern Africa. The snake has a dark crisscross pattern, and it is most active at dusk. It will spend most of its daytime in hiding, pending the sun sets where it changes itself in its ambush hunting mode. It likes to live in rock-strewn mountains and steppes.

The Moorish Viper snake has a strong, well-built, light brown ground-color body, with a sequence of dark tan color dorsal marks, which are rather rounded and regularly fused together to produce a wide, curly dorsal line. The head of the Moorish Viper snake is discrete from its body, and it has a rounded neck.

The Moorish Viper snake is categorized as near endangered in accordance with the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. The snake is classified as such for the reason that the Moorish Viper snake variety is probably in considerable decline, at a rate of less than 30% in excess of ten years, owing to harassment, accidental death and over-harvested, so making it close to meet the criteria for susceptibility.

The Moorish Viper snake of the coastline and mountains of South Africa exhibits closer relationships with the viper varieties of the Middle East and Europe than with their relatives that are prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa. The type of weather is Mediterranean moderate and the home of the Moorish Viper snake differs from sandy desert border to forested hillsides.

Diet of Moorish Viper snake

The Moorish Viper mostly feeds on lizards, creatures, birds and birds’ eggs, frogs, etc.

Behavior of Moorish Viper snake

During the daytime, the Moorish Viper snake shelters in rodent dens, under rocks, or under thick plants. It comes out at sunset to ambush prey close to water holes or paths. When it is troubled, it adopts a biting pose, levels its head, and hisses noisily. The Moorish Viper snakes are accountable for many bites in Africa every year. They have a status of being ill-tempered and can insert a huge quantity of venom, which is the reason for they are supposed to be considered extremely hazardous. Unlike nearly all vipers, the Moorish Viper snake variety is an egg-layer. The female snake is capable of laying a maximum of 18 eggs per clutch, and the eggs will take 6 to 8 weeks to hatch.

The average lifespan of the Moorish Viper ranges from 12 years to 16 years.