Cottonmouth
The cottonmouth is a large, venomous pit viper that lives in the southeastern United States. It is one of the few vipers in the world that spends much of its life in water. Its bite is painful and can be fatal, so it is important to recognise it and give it plenty of space.1

Bí o ṣe lè dá a mọ̀
- Adults commonly exceed 80 cm in total length, and it is the largest species in its genus.1
- Most adults are almost or totally black, with the head and facial markings as the main exceptions.1
- Younger snakes have dark crossbands on a lighter tan, brown or reddish-brown ground colour. The tail tip is yellowish in juveniles and black in adults.1
- Eastern populations have a broad, dark stripe running back from the eye along the side of the head.1
- When threatened it gapes, showing the white lining of its mouth.1
A sábà máa ń ṣì í mọ̀ sí: The copperhead is often confused with the cottonmouth, especially when young. The cottonmouth has a broad dark stripe on the side of the head, while the copperhead has only a thin dark line. Watersnakes of the genus Nerodia look similar, with thick bodies and large heads, but they have round pupils and no loreal pit.1
Agbára oró
Oró ń jáde láti inú eyín oró tàbí eyín rẹ̀ nígbà tí ó bá bùjẹ.
Kí ni oró rẹ̀ máa ń ṣe?
The venom is rich in cytotoxic components that destroy tissue, and it is more toxic than the copperhead's venom. It does not contain the neurotoxic components found in many rattlesnakes, so it does not usually cause whole-body reactions. Symptoms commonly include bruising and swelling, and necrosis, or death of tissue, can occur.1
Báwo ló ṣe léwu tó fún ènìyàn?
Ewu fún ènìyàn: Ó le gan-anÌbùjẹ nílò dókítà. Ikú kò wọ́pọ̀ rárá.Deaths are rare, but bites are relatively frequent in the lower Mississippi River Valley and along the Gulf of Mexico coast. A bite can leave scars and, on occasion, may require amputation. The pain is generally more severe than a copperhead bite but less than a rattlesnake bite. Stressed snakes, and larger snakes, are more likely to strike.1
Ìròyìn ayọ̀: àwọn dókítà ní oògùn (antivenom) tàbí ìtọ́jú fún èyí.1
Kí ni ó máa ń ṣe nígbà tí ẹ̀rù bá bà á?
When threatened it may coil its body, display its fangs and gape to show the white lining of its mouth. It often stands its ground rather than fleeing.1
Bí ó bá bùjẹ
- Bites can be effectively treated with CroFab antivenom.1
- Jẹ́ kí ẹni náà wà láìmira kí ó sì farabalẹ̀, jẹ́ kí apá tàbí ẹsẹ̀ tí ó bù jẹ wà ní ìpele ọkàn, yọ òrùka àti àwọn nǹkan tó há, kí ẹ sì lọ sí ilé ìwòsàn kíákíá.
Máa kọ́kọ́ pe nọ́ńbà pàjáwìrì rẹ nígbà gbogbo (112, 000, 911). Èyí jẹ́ ìtọ́sọ́nà ìtọ́jú àkọ́kọ́ gbogbogbò, kì í ṣe ìmọ̀ràn ìṣègùn. Ìpìlẹ̀ ìtọ́jú àkọ́kọ́
Wà láìléwu
- Má ṣe fọwọ́ kan, mú tàbí yọ ẹranko igbó lẹ́nu láéláé, kódà bí ó bá kéré, kódà bí ó bá dà bí ẹni pé ó ń sùn tàbí ó ti kú.
- Fún un ní àyè. Bí o bá pàdé ọ̀kan, farabalẹ̀, sẹ́yìn díẹ̀díẹ̀ kí o sì jẹ́ kí ó máa bá ọ̀nà rẹ̀ lọ.
- Bí ọ̀kan bá bù ọ́ jẹ: farabalẹ̀, má ṣe mira, pe nọ́ńbà pàjáwìrì rẹ (112, 000, 911) tàbí lọ sí ilé ìwòsàn kíákíá. Rántí bí ó ṣe rí, fọ́tò máa ń ṣèrànwọ́.
Kò wá ọ kiri láti ṣe ọ́ léṣe. Ó ń lo oró rẹ̀ láti mú oúnjẹ tàbí láti dáàbò bo ara rẹ̀, ó sì fẹ́ràn láti farapamọ́ jù. Sí i nípa wíwà láìléwu
Báwo ló ṣe tóbi tó?
Báwo ló ṣe gùn tó?
Báwo ló ṣe wúwo tó?
ó gùn tó ológbò ilé 4 láti imú dé ìrù
ó gùn tó ọ̀gẹ̀dẹ̀ 11 tí a tò tẹ̀léra
lè sáré mítà 100 ní ìṣẹ́jú-àáyá 100 (ènìyàn tó yára jùlọ nílò 9.6)Báwo ni Cottonmouth ṣe tóbi tó tí a bá fi wé ÌWỌ?
Ìṣirò nìkan nínú bráwúsà rẹ. A kò fi ohunkóhun pamọ́, a kò sì fi ránṣẹ́ sí ibikíbi.
Báwo ló ṣe yára tó?
Òtítọ́
Young snakes wiggle the tips of their tails to attract prey.1
It swims with its body near the surface and appears to float on top of the water.1
The average venom yield is about 125 mg dried, and the human lethal dose is unknown but has been estimated at 100 to 150 mg.1
It is one of the world's few semiaquatic vipers, and it is the most aquatic species in its genus.1
One researcher reported encountering these snakes on countless occasions, often almost stepping on them, without ever being bitten.1
Olùfọ́ àròsọ
Àròsọ: Any snake called a water moccasin is venomous.
Òtítọ́: The name water moccasin refers to the venomous cottonmouth. Many scientists dislike the name because it causes confusion with nonvenomous water snakes, which look similar.1
Ibi tí àwọn òtítọ́ ti wá
- Agkistrodon piscivorus (Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0))
- Agkistrodon piscivorus (iNaturalist): orúkọ àti ìpínsísọ̀rí.
- Venom Wiki: ìpele ewu, ìtóbi déédé àti àfojúbù ìyára jẹ́ tiwa. Wo bí a ṣe ń ṣírò wọn: Bí a ṣe ń díwọ̀n ewu.
Gbogbo òtítọ́ ojú-ìwé yìí ní nọ́ńbà tó tọ́ka sí orísun rẹ̀. Bí a bá ṣe àṣìṣe, má bínú, olólùfẹ́ ẹranko ni wá, kì í ṣe ìwé ìròyìn sáyẹ́ǹsì. Sọ fún wa ní [email protected] a ó sì tún un ṣe.
Ìbùjẹ
