The desert mountain adder (Bitis xeropaga) is a venomous snake from the African continent. It is not well known because its natural habitat is the mountain region bordering the lower Orange River, in South Africa and Namibia. Since it belongs to the Viperidae family of serpents, its venom, which can be lethal, contain cytotoxins, which cause blood clots and destroy body tissues.
Physical Description
The desert mountain adder is a medium size snake, with the adult being no longer than 60 cm. It has a big triangular head, with a ridge running above each eye but it has no horns. Its body is greyish-yellowish brown, which is interrupted by multicolor rings composed of dark brown, white, and grey strips. However, its belly is dark grey patterned with dark speckles.
It usually dwells in nook and crannies under rocks and boulders and it never slithers under the sand. It hunts rodents, lizards, and other small animals. The female bears between 4 and 5 young every Summer. Even though it is not aggressive, it could bite you if it is cornered or stepped on.
Below, photo of the desert mountain adder (Bitis xeropaga)
