The desert horned viper is a familiar snake of the great deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. Compared to most snakes in the region, this species is short in length, averaging between 30 and 60 cm. Although females are larger, both sexes share the same general body structure and color patterns.
The desert horned viper is characterized by the presence of supraorbital ‘horns’, which consist of a single scale above each eye. The head is somewhat flat, broad, and triangular, with eyes on the side of the head. The body is broad and flat, with a short tail which may have a black tip. This species is brownish-yellow and gray in color, perfectly blending into the sandy environment in which it lives.
The diet of this nocturnal, carnivorous species consists primarily of small rodents, geckos, birds, and a variety of lizards. It is venomous to humans. The desert horned viper is known to have only a few natural enemies, including a variety of wild and feral cat species.
The photo of the desert horned viper was captured at Basel Zoo.