Palestinian viper

Scientific Name: Vipera palaestinae

Nick Name:

Size: Average 0.8 meter, maximum 1.3 meters.

Appearance: Olive to rusty brown with a dark V-shaped mark on the head and a brown, zigzag band along the back.

Type of Venom:

Nature:  It is active and aggressive at night but fairly placid during the day. When threatened or molested, it will tighten its coils, hiss loudly, and strike quickly.

Distribution: Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan.

Habitat: Arid regions, but may be found around barns and stables. It has been seen entering houses in search of rodents.

Feeds on: small mammals, frogs etc

Side Line:

• The Palestinian viper is closely related to the Russell's viper of Asia. Like its cousin, it is extremely dangerous.