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Animal profile

Gaboon Viper

Bitis gabonica

ReptiliaLeaf litter of rainforest and adjacent woodland in central and western AfricaLeast Concern

Field profile

The Gaboon viper is a massively built forest viper with a broad triangular head and a geometric pattern of buff, purple-brown and cream. It is an ambush hunter that lies still in leaf litter for long periods. It is among the heaviest venomous snakes in Africa.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2025-05-11

Gaboon Viper

The Gaboon viper has the longest fangs

Its hinged front fangs can approach five centimetres, longer than those of any other snake measured. They fold flat against the roof of the mouth when closed and swing forward only as the strike lands.

Read with evidence →

Gaboon Viper | Daily Animal Facts