What Is A Carpet Viper

The west african carpet viper s venom is potently cytotoxic causing severe pain swelling blistering and in many cases severe tissue damage.

What is a carpet viper.

The saw scaled or carpet viper echis carinatus whose range extends from senegal to bengal probably bites and kills more people than any other species of snake. Actually its venom reacts slowly but it causes big damages. Gaboon viper bitis gabonica gaboon vipers are the largest vipers in the world reaching lengths of up to 7 feet 213 cm and more than 22 lbs. We can find this 2 feet snake in western africa.

The ocellated carpet viper or echis ocellatus inhabits the countries of senegal gambia and gulf of guinea in the african continent. They have a characteristic threat display rubbing sections of their body together to produce a sizzling warning sound. These spots are designed to confuse potential predators. Monovalent antivenom is effective and should be administered.

One hundred and fifteen patients with poisoning caused by its bite were studied in the savanna region of nigeria where victims of this snake may occupy 10 per cent of hospital beds. This is typically a desert species. This species along with the closely related echis ocellatus both of the carpet viper species cause the most cases of. The name echis is the latin transliteration of the greek word for viper ἔχις.

The carpet viper sometimes referred to as a saw scaled viper is a poisonous snake found primarily in africa and india this reptile is known for being able to strike quickly and without warning. Echis pyramidum is a species of venomous viper endemic to northeast africa and the arabian peninsula three subspecies are currently recognized including the nominate subspecies described here. Ocellated carpet viper echis ocellatus is the deadliest snake in the savannah. Saw scaled vipers carpet vipers is a genus of venomous vipers found in the dry regions of africa the middle east india sri lanka and pakistan.

Its bite causes more than 20 000 deaths of agricultural workers per year. Like the boomslang their venom is haemotoxic causing. 10 kilograms according to the adw. The west african carpet viper is a small snake with an average total length of approximately 20 inches 1 5 feet.

It is typically very venomous so a bite can often be fatal.