Vipers, Cobras, and Boas...Oh My!

Question: How many kinds of snakes are there?

Answer: There are about 2,900 known species of snakes. Occasionally, new species are discovered.

Question: Where would you not expect to find a viper?

Answer: Vipers are found throughout the world except in Australia and Antarctica.

Question: How many species of vipers are there?

Answer: The vipers are a group of poisonous snakes that have sharp fangs. There are about 200 species, or types, of viper.

Question: What is the world’s longest poisonous snake?

Answer: The king cobra of Asia is the world’s longest poisonous snake. It can reach a length of about 18 feet (5.5 meters).

Question: Which color would you not expect a rattlesnake to be?

Answer: Most rattlesnakes are gray, tan, or brown with diamond-shaped patches or crossing diagonal bands.

Question: To which continent are rattlesnakes native?

Answer: Rattlesnakes live in the Americas, from southern Canada to Argentina. They are most common in the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Question: To which continent are cobras native?

Answer: Cobras live in the southern parts of Asia and Africa. Some types dwell in grasslands, forests, or deserts. Others live in trees or along the shores of lakes.

Question: What organ do snakes use to help them taste and smell?

Answer: Jacobson’s organ is best developed in lizards and snakes. The snake, for example, flicks its tongue out and in rapidly. Chemicals present in the air stick to the snake’s tongue, and the organ detects them.