Habu
The habu is a venomous pit viper that lives on the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, including Okinawa and the Amami Islands. It is the largest member of its genus, Protobothrops. Its bite is serious, so it is important to know what it looks like.1

Como recoñecelo
- Typically 120 to 150 cm long, including the tail, and slender with a large head1
- Light olive or brown body with elongated dark green or brownish blotches1
- Blotches have yellow edges, sometimes yellow spots, and often join to form wavy stripes1
- Whitish belly with dark edges1
- Crown of the head covered with small scales1
Adoita confundirse con: In Okinawa Prefecture, the name habu can also refer to the Sakishima habu (Protobothrops elegans), also called the elegant pit viper. This is a different species.1
Poder da pezoña
A pezoña sae polos seus cairos ou dentes cando morde.
Que fai a súa pezoña?
The venom is highly toxic and contains cytotoxin, which damages body cells, and hemorrhagin, which damages blood vessels and causes bleeding. A bite can cause nausea, vomiting and low blood pressure, and it can possibly cause death. Some victims have lost movement in their hands and legs, even after treatment.1
Que perigoso é para as persoas?
Perigo para as persoas: Moi perigosoPode matar a unha persoa que non reciba tratamento.The Amami Islands have about two snakebites per 1,000 people, which is considered very high. The fatality rate is less than 1%. Bites are not life-threatening if the victim receives medical care promptly, but 6 to 8% of victims suffer permanent disability.1
Que fai cando ten medo?
The habu is bold and irritable, and it can strike quickly from a long reach.1
Se morde
- Get medical care promptly. With prompt medical care, bites are not life-threatening.1
- Mantén a persoa quieta e tranquila, mantén o membro mordido á altura do corazón, quítalle aneis e cousas apertadas e vai rápido a un hospital.
Chama sempre primeiro ao teu número de emerxencias (112, 000, 911). Isto son consellos xerais de primeiros auxilios, non consello médico. Primeiros auxilios básicos
Mantente a salvo
- Nunca toques, collas nin molestes un animal salvaxe, aínda que sexa pequeno e aínda que pareza durmido ou morto.
- Déixalle espazo. Se atopas un, mantén a calma, recúa amodo e déixao ir polo seu camiño.
- Se un te morde: mantén a calma, non te movas, chama ao teu número de emerxencias (112, 000, 911) ou vai rápido a un hospital. Lembra como era, unha foto axuda.
Non vai a por ti. Usa a súa pezoña para cazar comida ou para defenderse, e prefire con moito agocharse. Máis sobre como estar a salvo
En que lugar do mundo?
Que tamaño ten?
Canto mide?
mide coma 5 gatos domésticos do fociño á cola
mide coma 13 bananas postas en fila
podería percorrer 100 metros en 86 segundos (o humano máis rápido precisa 9,6)Que tamaño ten Habu comparado CONTIGO?
Só son contas no teu navegador. Non se garda nin se envía nada a ningures.
Que rápido é?
Datos
On Okinawa, habus are heavily collected to make habushu, a liquor made from awamori sake, which is said to have medicinal properties.1
Unlike most pit vipers, the habu lays eggs rather than giving birth to live young.1
Hatchlings are about 25 cm long and look the same as the adults.1
The small Indian mongoose was introduced to Okinawa in 1910 to reduce the habu population. The effects of this have not been studied, but similar introductions have harmed native wildlife.1
The habu is the largest member of its genus, Protobothrops.1
Para expertos en pezoñas
De onde veñen os datos
- Protobothrops flavoviridis (Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0))
- Protobothrops flavoviridis (iNaturalist): nomes e clasificación.
- Venom Wiki: o nivel de perigo, o tamaño típico e a velocidade estimada son nosos. Mira como os calculamos: Como valoramos o perigo.
Cada dato desta páxina ten un número que leva á súa fonte. Se nos equivocamos nalgo, sentímolo, somos fans dos animais, non unha revista científica. Dínolo en [email protected] e arranxarémolo.
Morde