Original Wild Facts, Reptiles

Wild Fact #247 – My Grandma, What Big Fangs You Have – Gaboon Viper

Gaboon Viper
Photo from Wikimedia

The Gaboon Viper is an intriguing animal that has made it into the record books for a few different categories. For instance they are the largest viper – and heaviest – on earth and they just happen to have the longest fangs, too. Inside of those record breaking fangs is a substance that contains the highest venom yield of any venomous snake slithering on this planet. I told you this particular snake has repeatedly made the record book. How about we take a trip to the Rainforests and savannahs of sub-Sahara Africa to see if we can catch a glimpse of this champion snake.

One Big Threat

So where do we start? How about with their length and weight. The Gaboon Viper can grow up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length and weigh up to an astonishing 8 kilograms (18 pounds). What do you mean that this doesn’t seem that big? Believe it or not, this is one of the largest snakes roaming the forests (or plains) in Africa and while they may not compare to the size of an Anaconda, I still wouldn’t want an 5 foot long venomous snake coming towards me…especially considering their fangs are over 5 centimetres (2 inches) long.

Gaboon Viper
Photo from Wikimedia

How toxic is the venom of a Gaboon Viper?

As I briefly mentioned, the venom of the Gaboon Viper has the highest venom yield of all the deadly snakes. Luckily, this large snake tends to have a docile and sluggish nature, which means they don’t generally bite humans. Although, if you do get bitten by one, you had better seek out medical attention as you will be in for a rough ride that includes swelling, intense pain, severe shock and convulsions to name a few of the symptoms. As well, the healing process is slow, which is never a good thing for someone fighting for their life.

For the most part, the Gaboon Viper uses its deadly bite to subdue their unfortunate prey. Smaller animals such as rodents will typically die instantly, while the larger animals will wander off, confused and disoriented. The snake will simply track the wounded animal until it succumbs to its injuries. Big or small, I would not want to be on the wrong end of those 2 inch fangs.

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