第 0355 號，共 1 402 號

Spiny bush viper

Atheris hispida

名字的由來： Its common names come from its spiny, bristly scales, which give it a hairy look.1

需要看醫生很少致命，但被咬了需要看醫生。

蝰蛇

咬吃：肉

對人的危險: 嚴重被咬了需要看醫生。死亡案例非常罕見。

The spiny bush viper is a venomous snake with a bristly, shaggy look caused by spiky scales along its body. It lives in parts of Central and East Africa, mostly in forests and reedy places. Its venom can be dangerous to people, so it is important to know what it looks like.1

分布在

Central and East Africa: northern and eastern DR Congo, southwestern Uganda, western Kenya and northwestern Tanzania1

非洲

首頁

It can climb reeds and stalks and is often found basking on top of flowers and the tips of leaves. It is mostly active at night.1

長度

73 cm (2,4 ft)1

最高速度

大約 3,3 km/h（2,1 mph）

在陸地上, 粗略估計

牠吃什麼？

It feeds on mammals, frogs, lizards and sometimes birds. It sometimes hunts mammals on the ground.1

Spiny bush viper 的照片 — Spiny bush viper。照片：Bree McGhee。 CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist.

怎麼認出牠

Its body is covered in long, heavily keeled scales (scales with a raised ridge), which make it look shaggy and bristly.1
The scales around the head and neck are the longest, and they get shorter towards the tail.1
It has a short snout, more so in males than in females.1
Males are surprisingly long and slender compared with females.1

毒液力量

咬

咬的時候，毒液會從毒牙或牙齒出來。

牠的毒液有什麼作用？

Its venom is mainly neurotoxic, meaning it attacks the nerves. It also contains cytotoxins, which damage cells, and fasciculins, which affect nerve signals. The strength of the venom varies between individual snakes and can be influenced by region, weather and altitude. Reports of bites show severe bleeding of internal organs.1

牠對人有多危險？

對人的危險: 嚴重被咬了需要看醫生。死亡案例非常罕見。

A bite can be fatal to people who do not get proper first aid and antivenom treatment. Its venom was once thought to be weaker than that of many other snakes, possibly because bites are uncommon, but recent reports show this is not the case.1

好消息：醫生有藥（抗毒血清）或治療方法。1

如果牠咬人

A bite needs proper first aid, followed by antivenom treatment. Without these, a bite can be fatal.1
讓傷者保持不動和冷靜，讓被咬的手臂或腿保持在和心臟一樣的高度，取下戒指和緊身的東西，並趕快送醫院。

一定要先打緊急電話（112、000、911）。這是一般急救指引，不是醫療建議。急救基本知識

注意安全

絕對不要碰、抓或捉弄野生動物，就算是很小的動物，就算牠看起來在睡覺或已經死了也一樣。
給牠空間。如果遇到了，保持冷靜，慢慢往後退，讓牠自己離開。
如果被牠咬了：保持冷靜，保持不動，打緊急電話（112、000、911）或趕快去醫院。記住牠的樣子，有照片會很有幫助。

牠不是想來抓你。牠用毒液來捕捉食物或保護自己，而且牠更想躲起來。更多安全知識

在世界上的哪裡？

非洲亞洲歐洲北美洲南美洲澳洲與大洋洲

牠有多大？

牠有多長？

跟 4 根香蕉頭尾相接一樣長可以在 110 秒內跑完 100 公尺（最快的人類需要 9.6 秒）

Spiny bush viper 跟「你」比起來有多大？

只是在你的瀏覽器裡做算術。什麼都不會儲存，也不會傳送到任何地方。

牠有多快？

一隻陸龜 大約 0,3 km/h (0,19 mph)

Spiny bush viper 大約 3,3 km/h (2,1 mph)

一個正在走路的人 大約 5 km/h (3,1 mph)

值得知道

小知識

Its venom can vary greatly between individuals of the same species, even depending on the weather and altitude.1

Its scales are heavily keeled, meaning each has a raised ridge, and these are often called spikes.1

It can climb reeds and stalks and often rests on top of flowers.1

Males are much longer and more slender than females.1

破解迷思

迷思： Its venom is weaker than that of many other snakes.

真相： Its venom was once thought to be less toxic, but there are now reports of bites causing severe bleeding of internal organs.1

給毒液專家

學名: Atheris hispida
類群: 蝰蛇
家人: Viperidae2
排序: Squamata
各大洲: 非洲
寶寶: It gives birth to live young, up to 12 at a time, and each newborn is about 15 cm long.1
對人的危險: 3 / 5: 嚴重3