Kanburi Pit Viper -Trimeresurus kanburiensis

 Trimeresurus kanburiensis is a species of pit viper found in only a few areas of Thailand. Common names include: Kanburi pitviper, Kanburian pit viper, and tiger pit viper. Highly venomous, it is an arboreal but heavily built species with a brown or tawny coloration. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Kanburi Pit Viper

Dangerous?	Potentially dangerous; front-fanged, foldable hollow fangs, potent venom; these snakes rely on their camouflage so are not likely to flee. Which means, in the unfortunate case you don’t see it, but unknowingly grab it, it may decide to bite.
Venom	Haemotoxins
Length	about 60 – 70cm
Diet	Most likely geckos, frogs and rodents
How easy to find	Being well camouflaged it can be a challenge to find.
Best time of year	We have limited experience with this species, but have found it in the wet season. Though according to some local herpetologists they can be found year round.
Best time of day	Some sources state diurnal and indeed we have found them in ambush position in daytime. But we also have found it active at night, which is likely to be the best time to find these.
Threats	Illegal collecting for the pet trade.
Notes:	Endemic species to Thailand, though expected to occur in neighboring Myanmar

Geographic range

Found in Thailand. The type locality given is "limestone hills near Kanburi, south-western Siam" (= Kanchanaburi, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand). Listed as "S.W. China" in the catalogue entry at the British Museum of Natural History.

Known only from two other areas near the type locality, as well as from the type locality given in Vogel (1991) for T. venustus, which is "Thung Song, Provinz Nakhon Si Thammarat, Süd-Thailand".

Behaviour

The Kanburi Pit Viper is usually found quite close to groundlevel, or even in ambush on rocks. Though, there have been sightings up to 2m high off the ground, coiled up on branches. We have also heard that in some cases they drop themselves from the branch it is on once a spotlight is pointed at them, after which they disappear between the rocks. Like most vipers it is likely to be primarily nocturnal, but we have found it in ambush position in daytime too. Their main prey consists of geckos. They share their habitat with local endemics like the Dixonius hangseesom, Cyrtodactylus peguensis, C. tigroides, C. saiyok, Gekko nutaphandi (though not too likely they will take adults as prey), Gehyra lacerata, and the usual Hemidactylus species.

Feeding

The diet consists of mammals and birds. Juveniles probably also feed on frogs and lizards.

Reproduction

Ovoviviparous, with females giving birth to live young.