Living Zoology

The Zagros mountains at the border of Iran and Iraq are the home of the Spider-tailed horned viper (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides). Globally, this snake features an absolutely unique attribute on the end of its tail. When the snake moves its tail it resembles a spider or some other invertebrates. Birds are attracted to this trap and instead of catching prey, they get caught by a viper. This venomous snake has a small range in a very remote and not easily accessible region. We embarked on a journey to Iran and managed to find 4 individuals! The Spider-tailed horned viper is the pinnacle of snake evolution!