The fer-de-lance's name means 'spearhead' in French.  It is the most dangerous snake of Central and South America, and causes more human deaths than any other American reptile.

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Overview

Fer de LanceOrder: Squamata

Family: Viperidae

Genus: Bothrops (45 species)

Distribution: Tropical forests of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia and northern Argentina. Central America, the West Indies and possibly Mexico.

Habitat: Forest areas, along stream edges and ditches. Also plantations and areas of human habitation.

Size: Length: average 1.8m-2.4m+

Life-span: Over 20 years.

Food: Small mammals and birds.

Breeding season: Throughout the year.

Gestation: 3-4 months.

No. of young: 50-80.

The fer-de-lance's name means 'spearhead' in French.  It is the most dangerous snake of Central and South America, and causes more human deaths than any other American reptile. On average, a fer-de-lance injects 105mg of venom in one bite, although a venom yield of up to 310mg has been recorded while milking them. The fatal dose for a human is 50mg.

Read More: Introduction

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