Sam J.
May 12, 2023
Hi guys! I would like to tell you a little bit about one of my favorite vipers, Mangshan viper. This nocturnal snake lives only in the mountainous regions of southern China’s Hunan and Guangdong provinces. Elevation ranges from 2,620 to 4,270. very expensive! It can be found in dense vegetation along the forest floor of subtropical montane forests of these mountains and even in limestone caves.
Also known as the Wangshan Ironhead Snake, the Wangshan Mountain Viper has an intricate layered camouflage pattern of varying shades of green and brown. They are known to be very shy and reclusive, which is why their unique color patterns blend so well into the background that they are sometimes invisible even when sitting in front of them. This cryptic camouflage allows them to hide in their dense vegetation and wait for prey to come close. The Mangshan Viper is a viper, so it has holes between its eyes and mouth that you can see, but it’s not just a spectacle. These holes are external openings to highly sensitive infrared sensing organs, allowing them to “perceive” temperature even in the dark and accurately attack prey. This is a great advantage as they prefer to move around and hunt at night. They use these pit sensors to trap animals such as frogs, birds, insects and small mammals. The venom of the Mangshan copperhead causes blood clotting and corrodes muscle tissue. This helps aid digestion of freshly caught meals. Delicious in your stomach!
Despite its shy nature, this beautiful snake can grow to be quite large. The Mangshan Viper is known to easily grow to about 6 feet long and weigh over 10 pounds, making it a very heavy snake. Most vipers are viviparous. This means that females give birth alive. However, Mt. Wangshan’s viper is unique, and he is one of the few vipers in the world that lay eggs. That is, they lay eggs. A single female can lay 13 to 21 eggs at a time and is known to guard the nest eagerly until the babies hatch.
Thank you for your time! On your next visit, be sure to stop by the Scaly Slimy Spectacular to see this shy, beautiful snake in its brand new habitat. We hope you enjoy some fun facts about these amazing animals.
(Photo: Ash T)
Sam J.
Keeper III, Herpetology