Tags: snake | Spotted Krait | Vipera russellii siamensis

 Profile
This species habitat includes mountains, cultivated land and riverside gravel. It is often found coiled in a heap, moves slowly and is very aggressive. The poison is very venomous and can be fatal, so care should be taken. The Russell’s Viper is nocturnal, with a diet of frogs, lizards, snakes, birds and rodents. Viviparous, generally give birth to live young with 20 to 63 babies per nest. This species is very rare in Taiwan, though in the past it has been smuggled into the country and then dumped near ports for fear or being caught by police. This has led to residents near the port being bitten.

Morphology
This medium-sized snake species grows up to a maximum length of 165cm. It has a thick, stout body and a triangular head. The head and body are covered with many round patches, so it's also known as the "Spotted Krait". As the round patches along the back are often linked together like a chain, it is also known as the "Chain Snake".

National Museum of Natural Science (The Digital Museum of Nature & Culture)