Small mammals are the main staple, but they are also reported to eat amphibians and fish. It can, however, strike with lightning speed up to half its body length, in any direction (Lipsett 1999). If tampered with it will generally puff up and give an extremely loud hiss. Generally considered a slow moving, somewhat placid animal, Bitis nasicornis is not considered aggressive unless provoked or hungry. Status: captivity 8.3 years Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research Young are approximately 18-25 cm, brilliantly colored and venomous (Stenstrom 1999). Reproductionīitis nasicornis is a viviparous animal, giving birth to 6-35 young, at the start of the rainy season, (March - April). It is often considered one of the most beautiful of all snakes. The color patterns depend on the snake's habitat. Its brilliant coloration is an adaptive feature, and varies among individuals. Above each nostril are 2-3 horn-like projections (National 1999). One of the most distinguishing characteristics of Bitis nasicornis is its small-flattened triangular shaped head. Maximum sizes of up to 1.2 meters are not uncommon (Lipsett 1999). Females are usually the larger of the two, monomorphic sexes. Adults have an average length of 60-90 cm (Lipsett 1999). Mainly terrestrial, it will climb trees, in search of food.īitis nasicornis is a short, heavy-bodied snake. It has, however, been reported in relatively dry forest areas. Because of this habitat preference it is often called the River Jack (Lipsett 1999). Reports as far as Southern Zaire have been documented (Stenstrom 1999).īitis nasicornis inhabits the tropical forests of Central and Western Africa, often near water, or some sort of swampy environment. Bitis nasicornis can be found in the tropical forests throughout Central and Western Africa.
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