Palestine Saw-scaled Viper

Fascinating facts about the Palestine Saw-scaled Viper

• At just 75 cm long from head to tail, this viper fits comfortably in the palm of an adult hand, yet it prowls deserts from sea level all the way up to 2,500 m (8,200 ft) altitude.
• Unlike many desert snakes that glide over sand, the painted saw-scaled viper is not found in sandy deserts, choosing only rocky terrain.
• Its home stretches from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula across the Negev, the West Bank, Jordan, and into western Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and southern Oman – a patchwork of Middle-Eastern and North-African deserts.
• The original specimen that defined the species was collected on Jebel Shárr at 4,500 feet (about 1,371 m).

At a glance

About the Palestine Saw-scaled Viper

The painted saw-scaled viper, scientifically known as Echis coloratus, reaches a maximum total length of about 75 cm (30 in). It occurs in rocky deserts from sea level up to 2,500 m (8,200 ft) and is not found in sandy deserts. Its range includes Egypt east of the Nile, the Sinai Peninsula, the Negev in Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, western Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and southern Oman.

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