Lar Valley Viper Facts - Photos - Earth's Endangered Creatures

Scientific Name:

Vipera latifii

Other Names and/or Listed subspecies:

Latifi's Viper

Group:

Reptiles

Status/Date Listed as Endangered:

EN-US FWS: June 22, 1983

VU-IUCN: 1996

Area(s) Where Listed As Endangered:

Iran

Creature Profile

Also known as the Latifi's viper, the Lar Valley viper is a venomous viper species found in Iran. Many zoologists feared it had gone extinct in the late 1970s when a new dam flooded its only known location. But in 2000, an isolated population of vipers was found in the upper Lar Valley in the Elburz Mountains. Adult males can reach up to 78 cm in length and females can reach up to 70 cm in length.

The Lar Valley viper is terrestrial and prefers a rocky habitat. Most viper species have venom that contains both neurotoxic and hemotoxic components. Bites vary widely in severity. Little is known about the Lar Valley viper's reproductive behavior. All vipers are viviparous, giving birth to live young.

This species faces a high risk of extinction in the wild due to habitat decline and limited range of occurrence. The species was listed as endangered in 1983, but very few additional conservation measures have been taken to preserve the species. Today, the scientists who have recently rediscovered this species continue to analyze the data and specimens collected for study to help ensure its protection in the future.

Wikipedia Article

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Wikipedia Article
Copyright Notice: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Vipera latifii".

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Lar Valley Viper Facts Last Updated:
April 29, 2017

To Cite This Page:
Glenn, C. R. 2006. "Earth's Endangered Creatures - Lar Valley Viper Facts" (Online). Accessed 4/26/2024 at http://earthsendangered.com/profile.asp?sp=491&ID=8.

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« Previous Page

Lar Valley Viper Facts Last Updated:
April 29, 2017

To Cite This Page:
Glenn, C. R. 2006. "Earth's Endangered Creatures - Lar Valley Viper Facts" (Online). Accessed 4/26/2024 at http://earthsendangered.com/profile.asp?sp=491&ID=8.

Need more Lar Valley Viper facts?

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Twelve Incredibly Odd Endangered Creatures

1. Solenodon
The solenodon is a mammal found primarily in Cuba and Hispanola. The species was thought to be extinct until scientists found a few still alive in 2003. Solenodons only prefer to come out at night. They eat primarily insects and they are one of the few mammal species that are venomous, delivering a very powerful toxin. Symptoms of a solenodon bite are very similar to a snake bite, including swelling and severe pain, lasting several days.