Mangshan Pit Viper

The rare Mangshan pit viper (Trimeresurus mangshanensis) is a beautiful species of venomous snake endemic to Mt. Mangshan, located in Hunan province of China. Its habitat is mostly mountainous areas covered with thick green forests where it rests motionless near logs and on green forest floor. The snake is known to be the only snake, besides cobras to spit venom, which is haemotoxic in nature.

Mangshan Pit Viper

It is one of the heaviest venomous snakes in the world.It can weigh up to 8.5 kg with a length of 2 m. Mangshan pit viper has an appearance that helps it to hide and stay camouflaged. It has a brownish black body with unusual mossy green markings all over. For this, it can perfectly mimic a mossy branch or vine and can melt in green surroundings. Unfortunately, this snake is on the verge of extinction due to increasing human activity in the forests.