ONE of 36 snake species in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, the Gaboon Adder has recently undergone intensive research, the findings of which help conservationists better understand the species and its habits.
Having recently completed a Master of Science thesis on the conservation biology of the Gaboon Adder in South Africa, registered researcher Jonathan Warner helped boost the population of this extremely rare species in the park by assisting with the release of 26 young snakes.
Born in captivity at the St Lucia Crocodile Centre, they were released at three locations in the Eastern Shores section of the park, their release in line with the release protocol suggested in Warner’s three-year study.
Also known as Gaboon Vipers, this species is one of Africa’s most recognisable snakes and, the world’s heaviest adder, can grow up to two metres in length.
The Gaboon Adder’s disproportionately large head perfectly resembles a dead leaf, complete with a dark dorsal stripe that mimics a leaf’s mid vein.
A bite from this species would constitute a medical emergency, however, the majority of bites occur when snake enthusiasts handle captive individuals.
The Gaboon Adder’s venom is cytotoxic, meaning it destroys the body’s tissue, but only one human death from a Gaboon Adder bite has been recorded.
One of the reasons the Gaboon Adder is so rare in South Africa, essentially restricted to the wetland park, is that it is a tropical species, extending into equatorial Africa.
This highlights the need to continually conserve this rare species in South Africa.
Part of Warner’s studies included inserting chips into the bellies of certain individuals, allowing him to track their movements.
The core activity area averaged 6.7 hectares, the males’ activity area almost five times that of the females’.
Breeding season heralded a peak in activity from both genders, while in summer the snakes remained immobile, in an ambush position, sometimes for weeks at a time.
These ambush areas were often within a metre of game paths in the park.
‘Jon’s findings point to the importance of maintaining the continuity and integrity of the entire iSimangaliso dune forest corridor for the protection and conservation of the Gaboon adder,’ said Andrew Zaloumis, iSimangaliso CEO.
