Russell’s Viper

Russell’s viper, scientifically known as Daboia russelii, is a dangerous snake found in various parts of Asia. It was named after Patrick Russell, a Scottish herpetologist renowned for his early studies on India’s snake species.

In Bengali, this snake is referred to as “Chandroborha” due to the distinctive lenticular or moon-shaped markings on its body. Notably, Russell’s viper snake is one of the prominent “big four” snakes in India and unfortunately, it holds the grim record of causing the highest number of snakebite incidents and fatalities among all venomous snakes.

Russell’s Viper Appearance

These snakes sport a rich color palette, ranging from deep yellow to tan or brown. They’re adorned with three rows of dark brown spots running along their entire length. What makes these spots stand out is the black ring surrounding each one, accented with a rim of white or yellow.

Moving up to their heads, you’ll notice distinct dark patches on each temple, accompanied by a pinkish, salmon, or brownish V or X marking pointing towards the snout. Just behind their eyes, there’s a dark streak, which is highlighted by white, pink, or buff outlines. On the underside, these snakes have a venter that can be white, whitish, yellowish, or pinkish, often adorned with an irregular scattering of dark spots.

Where Russell’s Viper Found?

Russell’s vipers snake can be spotted in several countries including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Pakistan, Cambodia, Tibet, China (Guangxi, Guangdong), Taiwan, and Indonesia (Endeh, Flores, east Java, Komodo, and Lomblen Islands). These snakes are quite adaptable when it comes to their habitat. While they generally prefer open grassy or bushy areas, they can also be found in second-growth forests, forested plantations, and farmland.

You’ll commonly encounter Russell’s vipers in plains, coastal lowlands, and hilly regions that provide suitable conditions. However, they tend to steer clear of humid environments like marshes, swamps, and rainforests. Interestingly, they’re also often found in urban areas and rural settlements due to the presence of plenty of rodents.

Russell’s Viper Habitat and Lifestyle

Russell’s vipers are loner land snakes. They prefer to hunt at night, but in cooler weather, they’re more active during the day. They enjoy sunbathing during daylight hours and resting in caves, soil cracks, or under leaves. Adults are usually slow movers unless they feel threatened, then they can get very aggressive. Young ones tend to be more jumpy.

When they’re in danger, Russell’s vipers create S-shaped loops with their bodies, lift their front part, and make a hissing sound louder than most snakes. When they strike like this, they can even lift most of their body off the ground. These snakes are strong and might react aggressively if you try to pick them up. Their bite can be quick or they might hang on for a while.

Venom

The venom from this species is delivered through special fangs. Each snake can produce a significant amount of venom. Adult snakes typically produce between 130-250 mg, 150-250 mg, or 21-268 mg of venom. Juvenile snakes, which are around 79 cm (31 inches) long on average, produce between 8 to 79 mg of venom, with an average of 45 mg.

To put this in perspective, a dose of 40-70 mg of this venom can be lethal to most humans, which is easily delivered in a single bite. The venom’s toxicity depends on five different venom components, each of which is less toxic when tested separately. It’s important to note that venom toxicity and bite symptoms can vary among different populations and may change over time.

Venom Symptoms

Envenomation symptoms typically start with pain where the bite occurred, followed by swelling in that area. Bleeding, particularly from the gums and in the urine, can also happen, and within 20 minutes of the bite, you might see blood in your spit. Blood pressure drops, and heart rate decreases. In severe cases, blisters can form at the bite site and spread along the affected limb.

Necrosis, which is tissue death, usually happens near the bite and can be severe in extreme cases. Some people may experience vomiting and facial swelling, while kidney failure occurs in about 25-30% of untreated bites. In severe cases, there can be a condition called disseminated intravascular coagulation. Quick medical treatment and access to antivenom can significantly reduce the chances of severe complications.

Severe pain can persist for 2-4 weeks, and the duration depends on the extent of tissue damage. Swelling usually peaks within 48-72 hours and can affect both the bitten limb and the trunk. If significant swelling occurs within 1-2 hours, it’s likely a severe envenomation.

The swollen area might change color as blood cells and plasma leak into the muscle tissue. In some cases, death may occur within 1 to 14 days after the bite, possibly due to septicemia, or failure of the kidney, respiratory, or cardiac system.

A study in The Lancet found that 29% of people who survived Russell’s viper bites suffered damage to their pituitary glands, leading to hypopituitarism. Other scientific studies also support the idea that Russell’s viper bites can cause hypopituitarism.

Russell’s Viper Diet and Nutrition

Russell’s vipers are meat-eaters. Their main diet consists of rodents, but they also munch on small reptiles, land crabs, scorpions, and other creepy crawlies. When they’re young, they go after lizards, but as they mature into adults, they become experts at catching rodents.

Russell’s Viper Mating Habits

Russell’s vipers have an interesting reproductive process called ovoviviparity, where females give birth to live baby snakes. Mating usually happens early in the year, but pregnant females can be found throughout the year. The pregnancy period is quite long, lasting over 6 months. Baby snakes, called snakelets, are born between May and November, with most being born in June and July.

A litter typically contains 20 to 40 snakelets, although sometimes there may be fewer. When born, these snakelets measure around 215-260 mm (8.5-10.2 inches) in total length. They are self-sufficient from birth and become capable of reproducing themselves at around 2-3 years old.

Russell’s Viper Population

1. Threats to Russell’s Vipers: Russell’s vipers face significant threats, primarily from illegal hunting for their meat and skin. Additionally, these vipers are often killed out of fear.
2. Population Status: As of now, the conservation status of Russell’s vipers has not been assessed, and they are not listed on the IUCN Red List.
3. Role in the Ecosystem: Russell’s vipers are commonly found in rural areas, where they help control rodent populations, making them beneficial for local communities.

Russell’s Viper Prey

The Russell’s viper mainly eats rodents but can also consume small reptiles, land crabs, scorpions, and other insects. When they are young, they feed on lizards and are active at dawn and dusk. As they get older, they focus more on eating rodents.

They are often found near human homes because they are attracted to places with lots of rodents and lizards. Interestingly, young Russell’s vipers are sometimes known to eat each other.

FAQs on Russell’s Viper Snake

What is a Russell's viper, and where is it found?

Russell's viper, scientifically known as Daboia russelii, is a venomous snake found in various parts of Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Pakistan, Cambodia, Tibet, China, Taiwan, and Indonesia.

What does a Russell's viper look like?

Russell's vipers have a striking appearance with deep yellow to tan or brown coloring. They are adorned with three rows of dark brown spots, each surrounded by a black ring and often outlined in white or yellow. They have distinct markings on their head, including a V or X shape pointing towards the snout. Their underside can be white, whitish, yellowish, or pinkish with scattered dark spots

What is the habitat of Russell's vipers?

These snakes are adaptable and can be found in open grassy areas, bushy regions, second-growth forests, forested plantations, farmland, plains, coastal lowlands, and hilly areas. They tend to avoid humid environments like marshes and rainforests and are also found in urban areas due to the presence of rodents

What is the behavior and lifestyle of Russell's vipers?

Russell's vipers are solitary and primarily nocturnal but can be active during the day in cooler weather. They enjoy sunbathing and rest in caves, soil cracks, or under leaves. Adults are usually slow movers, but they can become aggressive if threatened. They create S-shaped loops, hiss loudly, and can strike with their bodies lifted off the ground when in danger

What is the venom of Russell's vipers like?

These vipers deliver venom through special fangs and can produce a significant amount of venom. A bite can be lethal to humans, with symptoms including pain, swelling, bleeding, decreased blood pressure and heart rate, blisters, tissue necrosis, vomiting, facial swelling, kidney failure, and more. Quick medical treatment and access to antivenom are crucial for reducing complications