by Jennifer Hinders

Created on: November 20, 2011

Snake facts: Puffer adder

The Puffer Adder is considered one of Africa’s most dangerous venomous snakes. It is well known for its meanness and aggressive nature.  The Puffer Adder is responsible for more fatalities than any other snake in Africa.

Habitat

Puffer Adders are the most widespread snake found in Africa. It can be found from the southern Cape in South Africa to the southern part of Morocco. It also lives in southern Arabia. The Puffer Adder prefers the rocky grassland areas. They are active at dusk, but do move around during the daylight hours.

Behavior

The Puffer Adder is a slow moving, but excitable snake that is prone or hiss or puff when upset, hence the name Puffer Adder. Known for its bad temper and aggressive nature, the Puffer Adder will strike quickly when provoked.  The Puffer Adder is a sluggish snake that rarely likes to move from its habitat.  It tends to hide in its surroundings waiting for its prey. It is quick moving when it comes to attacking or catching its prey. The Puffer Adder is known for its sideways movement and lightening speed when it strikes.  Puffer Adders are also good swimmers and climbers.

Description

These dangerous snakes have thick bodies and are typically around one meter in length. They can weigh up to six kilograms. Puffer Adder males tend to be larger than the females. The males also have longer tails. The Puffer Adder has a large flat head which is triangular in shape. They have dark bands around their eyes which distinguishes them from other snakes.  The Puffer Adder has amazing camouflage colors of blackish browns, orange and yellow. It blends in with its environment perfectly. Some species of the Puffer Adder that originate from eastern areas of Africa are darker in color while Puffer Adders from more arid, western areas tend to be lighter in color. The Puffer Adder has sharp fangs approximately twelve to eighteen millimeters in length which insures the deadly delivery of venom into the soft tissue of its prey. Puffer Adders eat rodents, small birds, amphibians, lizards and small mammals.

Venom

The Puffer Adder’s venom is lethal. A bite from the Puffer Adder’s dangerous fangs can cause severe pain, swelling, hemorrhaging, dizziness and nausea.  The snake's venom is known as cytotoxic, meaning the toxic venom attacks tissue and blood cells. Death can actually occur in seconds if not treated immediately with an antivenin.

Reproduction

Puffer Adders give birth to live young in large litters.  The female can give birth to as many as fifty to sixty babies in one litter every summer. The baby snakes can range from twelve to seventeen centimeters in length.

Puffer Adder snakes are extremely poisonous snakes. They are perfectly camouflaged to hide in their habitat.  One bite from a Puffer Adder can be extremely lethal if left untreated.  Check out this amazing story about a tourist who was bitten by a Puffer Adder while visiting South Africa.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1141244/Brit ish-woman-23-cheats-death-bitten-deadly-puff-adder-h iking-South-Africa.html

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