Puff Adder
Puff AdderPuff AdderPuff AdderPuff Adder

Puff Adder

Bitis arietans

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Insufficient data
overall probability at Virunga National Park
2 Verified records at Virunga National Park
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The puff adder (Bitis arietans) is a highly venomous viper species found in savannahs and grasslands from Morocco and western Arabia throughout Africa except for the Sahara and rainforest regions. It is responsible for causing the most snakebite fatalities in Africa owing to various factors, such as its wide distribution, frequent occurrence in highly populated regions, and aggressive disposition. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. The species is commonly known as the puff adder, African puff adder, or common puff adder. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Virunga National Park

Rhinoceros Viper
VU

Rhinoceros Viper

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Bitis nasicornis

Insufficient data
Great Lakes Bush Viper
LC

Great Lakes Bush Viper

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Atheris nitschei

5–10% · With luck
African Hairy Bush Viper
LC

African Hairy Bush Viper

Reptile

Atheris hispida

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Puff Adder at Virunga National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
30–40%
2 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
3 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
4 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
5 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
6 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
7 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
8 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
9 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
10 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
11 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
12 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
13 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
14 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
15 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
16 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
17 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
18 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
Insufficient data
19 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
20 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
21 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
22 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
23 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
24 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
25 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
Insufficient data
26 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
27 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
28 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
29 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
30 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
31 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
32 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
33 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
34 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
Insufficient data
35 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
36 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
37 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
38 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
39 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
40 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Insufficient data
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