Russell's Viper
Daboia russelii • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Viperinae, Genus: Daboia, Species: Daboia russelii
Found primarily in the Indian subcontinent, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
Look up Russell's Viper in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Highly venomous; Solenoglyphous (possesses long, retractable hollow fangs at the front of the upper jaw).
Danger Level
Extremely Dangerous; responsible for more human fatalities in the Indian subcontinent than any other species due to its proximity to humans and aggressive nature.
Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Viperinae, Genus: Daboia, Species: Daboia russelii
Conservation
IUCN status: Least Concern. However, they face threats from habitat destruction and persecution by humans due to their danger.
Physical Description
Thick-bodied with a triangular head distinct from the neck. Features a light brown, tan, or yellowish-gray ground color with three longitudinal rows of dark brown to blackish spots or ovals, often edged with white or black. Eyes have vertical pupils.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen appears to be an adult. Typical length ranges from 90 to 120 cm (3 to 4 ft), but can reach a maximum of 166 cm (5.5 ft).
Habitat
Highly adaptable, inhabiting open grasslands, scrublands, coastal plains, and agricultural areas. Often found near human settlements due to rodent availability. Absent from dense rainforests and high altitudes.
Behavior & Temperament
Known for a high-pitched, loud hiss when threatened. Primarily nocturnal, but can be active during the day in cooler weather. It is notoriously irritable and will strike rapidly and repeatedly if provoked.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feeds on rodents (rats, mice), though it also consumes birds, lizards, and frogs. An ambush predator that uses its potent venom to quickly incapacitate prey.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous (gives birth to live young). Litter sizes are large, typically between 20 and 40 neonates, though litters over 70 have been recorded. Breeding usually occurs between April and July.
Venom Profile
Complex cocktail containing hemotoxins, cytotoxins, and procoagulants. Causes severe pain, swelling, tissue necrosis, internal bleeding, and acute kidney injury.
Look-alikes
Commonly confused with the Indian Rock Python (Python molurus), which is non-venomous but reaches much larger sizes and has a different head shape. Also resembles the Saw-scaled Viper, which is much smaller.
Conservation Status
IUCN status: Least Concern. However, they face threats from habitat destruction and persecution by humans due to their danger.
Cultural Significance
A member of the "Big Four" venomous snakes of India. It plays a vital ecological role in controlling rodent populations, despite being a major source of snakebite mortality.
Notable Features
Possesses a unique, chain-like pattern of oval spots and is famous for its extremely loud warning hiss, which is produced by forceful air expulsion through the nostrils.