Africa's Most Deadly Snake! ft. The Puff Adder

The Puff Adder ( Bitis arietans ) is a stocky large-bodied venomous snake growing up to 1.5 metres and belongs to the viper family. The puff adder is famous for having a very loud hiss or puff as a warning signal to potential threats, by inhaling and exhaling large amounts of air through the nostrils. As an ambush predator the puff adder relies on expert camouflage and laying still in thick grasses and bushes, successfully feeding on small mammals and larger amphibians. The venom is predominantly a strong cytotoxin, directly breaking down cells and tissues. The puff adder is considered the most deadly snake in Africa, causing more snakebite fatalities than any other snake in the continent, not because it has the most potent venom, but because it is widely encountered and is easy to step on, as it lies still in its ambush position rather than fleeing immediately (like a cobra will). In the breeding season the male puff adder will release pheromones attracting the female to them, this is often the time when these snakes are encountered. The puff adder moves in a caterpillar fashion but when wanting to flee is able to move quickly in the standard snake s-wave locomotion.