The Bamboo Viper is a species of Pit Viper that is native to parts of India. Like all Pit Vipers, this species of snake is venomous and has the ability to seriously injure or even kill a person.
This snake is often referred to by a number of different names. Some of the common names used for this snake include the Indian Green Pit Viper, the Common Green Pit Viper, the Indian Tree Viper, the Bamboo Snake and the Bamboo Pit Viper.
You may also come across a number of other snakes that are referred to as a Bamboo Viper as some of the other snakes in their genus are sometimes referred as this also.
These snakes include the White Lipped Pit Viper and the Chinese Pit Viper. However, this article is referring to a close relative of these snakes. Its scientific name is Trimeresurus gramineus.
Bamboo Viper Taxonomy
The Bamboo Viper belongs to the Viperidae family of snakes. This essentially means that they are a viper. Other popular families of snake include Elapids, Pythons and Boas.
Some other well known species of vipers include the Berg Adder, the Common Lancehead, the Cottonmouth, the Desert Horned Viper and the Eastern Copperhead Snake.
The sub-family that this snake belongs to is called Crotalinae. This sub-family is simply a grouping of the Pit Viper species and is made up of 21 genera and over 250 species at the latest count.
Some of the snakes in the Crotalinae sub-family include Cottonmouths and Rattlesnakes. This sub-family of Vipers can be found in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Their most defining feature is the presence of heat-sensing pits that are located between the eye and the nostril on both sides of the snake’s head.
These heat sensing pits act as a sixth sense for these snakes and allows them to find warm-blooded prey on which they feed.
The genus that the Bamboo Viper belongs to is called Trimeresurus. This is a large genus that contains over 50 different species. There have been many changes to this genus over the years so the exact number continues to be debated.
The scientific name for the Bamboo Viper is Trimeresurus gramineus. There are currently no recognised sub-species of this snake.
Bamboo Viper Description
The Bamboo Snake is a medium sized snake that typically grows to a length of around 1 metre or a little over 3 feet. They have a relatively large tail that is almost 6 inches in length.
The color of the snake can vary greatly. They are usually bright green in color but some specimens can be yellowish, greyish, or even a purple brown coloration. The also sometimes have spots that can be black, brown or reddish in color.
They usually have a white, yellow, or red streak along the outer row of scales separating their belly and dorsal.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Bamboo Viper is native to the Southern parts of India. Their population is scattered throughout a large portion of Southern India but does not extend into the Northern parts of the country.
In the West, they can be found as far North as Mumbai and their population extends Southwards through the Western Ghats towards the Southern tip of the country.
In the East, they can be found as far North as the state of Odisha. There is also a large population of these snakes in the centre of their range in states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The Bamboo Viper is typically found near bodies of water such as streams. They like to live in Bamboo Groves, hence their name. However, they will also live-in other habitats such as forests.
They share some of their geographical range with species such as the Indian Python, the Gooty Sapphire Tarantula, the Bengal Monitor, the Indian Star Tortoise and the Mourning Gecko.
Reproduction
The Bamboo Viper is ovoviviparous, meaning that it gives birth to live young as opposed to laying eggs. While the majority of snakes lay eggs, a large number have live births, including the Boa Constrictor and the Brazilian Rainbow Boa.
The female typically gives birth to an average of 6-11 babies and these babies will measure around 4.5 inches in length when they are born.
A young Bamboo Viper will have a brightly colored tail. This is designed to attract small frogs and lizards who confuse the tail for an insect. When the prey gets close enough, the baby Bamboo Viper will strike at it.