Africa - a black continent, has long been famous for its secrets and mysteries. For a long time, one of them was the Gabon viper. This giant snake fascinated and scared, forcing researchers from all corners of the earth to overcome thousands of kilometers, just to see this viper.
And although now we know almost everything about who the Gabon viper is, the photo of this creature still excites the human mind. And therefore, let's go on a long journey into the dense forests of Africa, in order to get acquainted with the "queen" of all vipers.
One of the most magnificent reptiles
The Gabon viper, or as it is also called - cassava, is one of the most dangerous snakes on the planet. It is difficult to say when exactly the white person first met her face to face, because there is no reliable information about this. But the indigenous people of Central Africa know her well. Moreover, some tribes consider it sacred and respect the cassava.
Although there is nothing to be surprised at, considering that the Gabon viper can easily kill an adult. And, in fact, its size and appearance fully support its deadly reputation. But is it really so dangerous for people, or are they just rumors? But let's talk about everything in order.
Where does the Gabon viper live?
As mentioned earlier, the birthplace of cassava is Africa. And to be more precise, its central and eastern parts. And according to the latest research conducted in tropical forests and savannahs, a small number of these snakes also lives in the southern and western parts of the black continent.
As for the specific habitat, the Gabon viper rarely creeps out into the open. She likes to spend her time in the thicket of the forest or on its outskirts. In particular, that is why all its nests are located in secluded places, hidden from the eyes of strangers.
However, the expansion of the landowner in many countries of this region led to the fact that the Gabon viper began to settle closer to people. For example, on plantations and fields, thereby posing a threat to workers.
Appearance
Kassava has a peculiar appearance, due to which it is impossible to confuse it with other representatives of its species. The first thing that deserves attention is its size. On average, the length of the Gabon viper ranges from 90 cm to 1.2 m. However, more mature individuals are able to grow up to almost 2 meters in length, and their weight will be approximately 15 kilograms.
The color of the snake is quite motley. Her whole body is covered with arbitrary patterns that can combine into bizarre images. As for color, most segments have a light gray tint. The rest of her picture may be black, brown, dark gray, red and even dark green. One naturalist very subtly noticed that the color of cassava is somewhat reminiscent of those patterns that Persians painted on their carpets.
Another distinctive feature of the Gabon viper is its head - it is simply huge by the standards of the serpentine world. Even though the body of the snake resembles a large log, its skull stands out significantly from the general background. In addition, some snakes have horny growths on their heads, which makes it even more brutal.
How to hunt cassava?
The Gabon viper, whose venom contains fast-acting toxins, like all snakes, is carnivorous. Therefore, the only way to feed yourself is to hunt other living beings. In general, her diet includes all the small warm-blooded animals that live in Africa. Moreover, especially large snakes can kill a dwarf antelope or a wild cat.
However, it should be noted that the Gabon viper is not a very skilled hunter. The main problem is that her size and weight do not allow her to move quickly and attack the victim from afar. Therefore, the only thing left for her is to set up ambushes.
But she learned this skill very well. Due to its coloring, it can merge with fallen leaves or pretend to be a regular log. And when the victim, unsuspecting about anything, approaches her trap, the snake alone gets its prey with a sharp lunge.
How dangerous are Gabon vipers?
To begin with, the poison of cassava is not the most toxic. There are snakes on the planet that have poison far more deadly than hers. However, the decisive fact is that with a bite, a Gabon viper is able to introduce a phenomenal amount of poison into the enemy’s body. That is why she is considered one of the most murderous representatives of her kind.
And yet its danger is sometimes exaggerated. The thing is that cassava has a very calm character, bordering on complete indifference. If the target is not her food, then she is unlikely to attack her. An exception may be only those cases when a person himself provokes it. And then, he should try hard to bring the snake to its emotional limit.
