Nose-Horned Viper
Nose-horned vipers are found in southern Europe through to the Balkans and parts of the Middle East. They occur in Southern Austria, north-eastern Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Greece (including the Cyclades), Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Georgia. These snakes primarily inhabit dry, rocky hillsides with sparse vegetation, open woodland and scrub, and sand dunes. They may also be found in areas of human habitation, such as railway embankments, farmland, and especially vineyards if rubble piles and stone walls are present. It is reputed to be the most dangerous of the European vipers due to its large size, long fangs, and high venom toxicity. The most distinctive characteristic of theses snakes is a single "horn" on their snout. It grows to a length of about 5 mm (0.20 in) and is actually soft and flexible. The color pattern is different for males and females. In males, the head has irregular dark brown, dar...