New Viper Found in China Forest

A new species, of a viper snake,was found in China.

Turns out that this new species is one of the smallest pit vipers in the world. The new snake, is called Protobothrops maolanensis. 

Jian-Huan Yang, study leader, and his colleagues found the species doing a survey of forests in Maolan National Nature Reserve in Guangzho, China. Largest length of about 2.6 feet the new pit viper is the smallest pit viper so far in the country.

Even though the species was one of the most comment snakes found during the research despite their grayish brown color that made it easy for them blend into their habitat, noted Sun Yat-Set University in Guangzho. 

Other snakes in the pit vipers category include the copperhead, the rattlesnake and the water moccasin. All known pit vipers are venomous, although the amount of venom depends on the species. 

Amount of toxicity of the new pit viper species is unknown but “kindly local peoples armed me that this snake is very poisonous.” Yang added, “They said that some local peoples had been bit by this snake and then got poisoning — one was dead who had not got treatment in time.”

Yang’s team had found dead snakes that had been killed by people, the Miao, who is the local culture, believe that this snake if encountered in the wild will bring bad luck unless it’s killed immediately.