Viperidae
Southern Adder
VenomousBitis armata
2 photographs of the Southern Adder. © Marius Burger.
The Southern Adder (Bitis armata) is a venomous snake in the Viperidae family, recorded in 1 country.
If you are bitten
This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
- Family
- Viperidae
- Danger
- high
About the Southern Adder
The southern adder (Bitis armata) is an endangered species of venomous snake in the family Viperidae. It is endemic to the Western Cape in South Africa.
Description
The southern adder averages 20 cm in length (with a maximum length of 40 cm). It has two white bands beneath and between the eye. It has horned tufts above the eyes. The southern adder is greyish-brown in colour, with dark brown patterning down the centre.
Distribution
The southern adder is found in three separate subpopulations on the southwestern coastal margins of the Western Cape. Previously, a fourth subpopulation in Cape Town is thought to be locally extinct. The northern subpopulation is found from West Coast National Park to approximately 20 km north of Cape Town. The southeastern subpopulation is found near Hermanus and near De Hoop Nature Reserve.
Habitat and Ecology
The southern adder is found near limestone rock in Fynbos vegetation.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Southern Adder
- Is the Southern Adder venomous?
- Yes. The Southern Adder (Bitis armata) is venomous and belongs to the Viperidae family (viper). Its bite is considered high risk to people. Treat any bite as a medical emergency.
- Is the Southern Adder poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Southern Adder is venomous, delivering venom through a bite.
- Is the Southern Adder dangerous?
- This is a venomous snake. Treat any bite as a medical emergency: stay calm, keep the bitten limb still and roughly level with the heart, remove rings and tight clothing, and get to emergency care immediately. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, apply ice, or try to suck out venom. Call your local emergency number or poison center.
- Where does the Southern Adder live?
- The Southern Adder has verified records in 1 country, including South Africa. See the distribution section below for its full range.
If you are bitten by the Southern Adder
Do
- Get away from the snake and stay calm. Most bites worsen when people panic or try again to handle the snake.
- Call 911 or Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) right away. Antivenom works best when given early.
- Note the time of the bite and, from a safe distance, the snake's color and pattern, a phone photo is enough. Do not chase it.
- Keep the bitten limb still and at roughly heart level. Sit or lie down and limit movement.
- Remove rings, watches, and tight clothing near the bite before swelling starts.
- Gently wash the bite with soap and water and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.
Do not
- Do not cut the wound or try to suck out the venom.
- Do not apply a tourniquet or ice.
- Do not drink alcohol or caffeine.
- Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, they can worsen bleeding. Acetaminophen is safer for pain.
- Do not try to catch or kill the snake. A dead snake can still bite by reflex.
First-aid guidance adapted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC NIOSH), Venomous Snakes. Educational only; always follow the instructions of emergency responders.
Where it is found
More Viperidae snakes
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
Keep learning
- Are Snakes Dangerous? The Real Risk, in PerspectiveMost snakes are harmless and avoid people. Here is the honest picture of snakebite risk worldwide and how to lower your own.
- Snakebite First Aid: What to Do (and What Never to Do)A clear, CDC-based guide to snakebite first aid: the steps that help, the popular myths that hurt, and how to tell a serious bite from a minor one.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.