Photograph: Dawson, Wikimedia Commons
Although snakes are often feared by people, there aren’t many animals that can match the slithery reptiles in terms of sheer beauty. The patterns and colours of some species are truly formidable and stunning examples of natural artwork. One particulary attractive looking snake is the rhinoceros viper (Bitis nasicornis), a member of the viper familiy that can be found in the swamps and rainforests of Western and Central Africa. The rhinoceros viper, which is also sometimes called river jack, is an extremely stout-bodied snake that usually measures 75-100 centimeters in length. But these strikingly pretty creatures can sometimes reach lengths of 1.2 metres, although such large specimens are rarely encountered. One of the most conspicuous features of the rhinoceros viper is the green or blue triangular head which has a large black arrowhead mark on the top and two or three pairs of hornlike scales on the tip of the snout. The body is made up of a spectacular, velvetlike pattern of triangles, rectangles, and diamond-shaped areas that are coloured red, yellow, blue, green, and black.
Behaviorally, the rhinoceros viper is nocturnal and mainly terrestrial; however, it may be found in aquatic environments and in trees at times. Like most vipers, the rhinoceros viper is an ambush predator. It tends to wait along rodent trails, relying on its cryptic coloration to hide among the leaves of the forest floor. Although rodents are its preferred prey item, the rhinoceros viper also occiasionally preys on amphibians, small lizards and fish. While rhinoceros vipers are generally sluggish and relatively slow-moving snakes, they can strike very fast, both forwards and sidewards. However, rhinoceros vipers tend to have a relatively mild and placid disposition and will only bite when they feel threatened or cornered. When approached, they often reveal their presence by hissing loudly. The potentially deadly rhinoceros viper’s venom is both hemotoxic (attacking the circulatory system and destroying blood vessels and tissue) and neurotoxic. Like most vipers, this colourful snake is also ovoviviparous, meaning that the eggs hatch in the mother’s body and the female snake gives birth to 6–38 live, beautifully coloured and fully developed neonates. Seeing one of these snakes in the wild would be a dream come true, but is definitely not easy because of the secretive and forest-dwelling nature of the rhinoceros viper.
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