Facts about Gaboon Viper

1. 09

   Gestation periods for Gaboon vipers last approximately 6 to 7 months, after which females give birth to live young numbering between 6 and 60 offspring per litter.

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2. 08

   In striking contrast to most vipers, Gaboon vipers produce a distinctive hissing sound by rubbing their keeled scales together as a warning display before attacking.

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3. 07

   Mottled brown and pink coloration allows Gaboon vipers to blend seamlessly with leaf litter, making them nearly invisible to prey species in their forest habitat.

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4. 06

   During strikes, Gaboon vipers accelerate their heads at speeds exceeding 175 miles per hour, among the fastest snake strikes recorded in nature.

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5. 05

   Gaboon vipers inhabit the rainforests of West and Central Africa, with populations scattered across countries like Cameroon, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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6. 04

   Equipped with heat-sensing pits along its lips, the Gaboon viper can detect prey temperature changes as small as 0.03 degrees Celsius in complete darkness.

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7. 03

   Weighing up to 20 pounds, the Gaboon viper is Africa's heaviest venomous snake and relies on cryptic leaf-litter camouflage rather than speed to ambush prey.

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8. 02

   A single bite from a Gaboon viper injects up to 18 milligrams of venom, enough to kill 15 adult humans or 40 sheep.

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9. 01

   The Gaboon viper's fangs can reach lengths of two inches, making them among the longest of any venomous snake species.

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