An Essay About Gaboon Vipers for Science

Of all the known snake species, few are as well revered as the reptiles found in the family Viperidae. These strong bodied snakes span across the world, notable for their unique heat-sensing features and ambush style of hunting.

Of the vipers, few have the notoriety and prowess of the Gaboon Viper.

The appearance of the Gaboon Viper is unmistakable. The animal is a large, heavy-built and muscular animal. With a large flat head, the viper is able to grow fangs longer than any other venomous snake on earth, housing an enormous venom load of cytotoxic material. These slow moving, meticulous snakes are not easy to irritate, preferring cover and obscurity over aggression in most situations. Opinions range between considering them lazy, as they are easy to handle and unlikely to react to stimuli, to considering them wise for their calm demeanors.

These snakes are dazzling. Intricate shaped patterns adorn the thick single-directional scales they use to “walk” across leaf litter. They are similar in shape to other heavy bodied vipers, such as their close relative the Rhinocerous Viper. They can be discerned from their close cousin from the difference in horn placement. Gaboon Vipers have elegant horns over their eyes, which branch out from the brows. These horns appear to be primarily ornate rather than serving function, but they do happen to provide a unique weapon during male mating rituals. During breeding season, males will roll in combat until the dominant snake (often the largest, most ornate, and most colorful, as these can be indicators of health and maturity). These fights appear sluggish and violent, but demonstrate a tradition represented all through Viperidae and beyond.

During the mating ritual, a male will approach another male. He will stake his challenge by rubbing his chin against the other’s. If the challenge is accepted, the snakes will both raise their bodies, lifting off the ground as high as they are capable of pushing their massive weights. Once they have risen, they will turn to face each other, pressing their heads and horns against each other in a reverse tug of war. This will go for hours as the snakes fight to push each others head down to the ground. The victor is the snake who remains on top.

Gaboon Vipers are native to a large distributive area of Africa, where they serve as a ground-prey devouring niche cornerstone species. They have many nicknames in multiple languages, translating to terms such as swampjack, whisper, and the butterfly adder (a reference to their dazzling patterns). The primarily dwell in low laying rainforests. However, they are versatile and sturdy, able to adapt to swamps, woodlands, and even human plantations. They hunt their prey (rodents, birds, small fish, and other snakes) at night, using eyes specially adapted to be capable of moving more effectively than many other vipers are capable. They inject prey directly with venom from their record breaking fangs. But while the fangs are notorious, the venom… not so much. Gaboon Viper venom is not particularly dangerous on its own based on its chemical structure. It is in fact, the sheer amount of venom that can be injected in a bite that makes these snakes so notorious. But truly, the Gaboon Viper is not a menace to meet. They are a wonder unlike any other in their niche.