THE NAMIBIAN (Windhoek, Namibia) 10 January 08 A Slithery First At Swakop (Adam Hartman)
Four viperine rock snakes (Hemirhagerrihs viperinus) recently hatched at the Living Desert Snake Park in Swakopmund.
According to Stuart Hebbard of the snake park, the viperine rock snake is a rarely seen and little-known species, and as far as he knows it is this first time that this species has bred in captivity.
He said it is of the same species as the mopane or bark snake, which are found only in Namibia.
"This is the first record of these snakes breeding, and up till now, it has not been known definitely whether they laid eggs or gave live birth," he told The Namibian.
The eggs were laid in October, and hatched after 48 days.
The babies look like their mother, which is brown, Hebbard explained.
The male snake has a striking golden-yellow face.
Feeding the youngsters is proving to be quite a task, he says, seeing that they are only about 160 mm long and only a little thicker than a matchstick.
Although it is known that the adults eat small lizards, the snake park staff had trouble locating small enough geckos.
"Even an adult Namib day gecko's tail is thicker than the snakes! Happily, one of the snakes has actually eaten a gecko - its swallowing ability surprised the keeper," Hebbard said.
During 2002, the snake park made news when its pair of Anchieta's dwarf pythons bred successfully - the first time that these rare snakes had been bred in captivity in Namibia.
Two of these young snakes are still on view at the park, together with more than 20 other species of reptiles.
The snake park is open daily except for Sundays, and the snakes are fed on Saturday mornings.
A Slithery First At Swakop