Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is it just me or did the EAST African Gaboon viper all but disappear from the hobby in the last couple of years? It seems like you can get a West African Gaboon just about anywhere, but I haven't seen and East African one in ages. Maybe it's just me and they are out there, but it seems like I always see the Western ones and not the Eastern ones anymore.

They are endangered now, so they are not allowed to be exported. Any you see are CB animals and you don't see them very often.

Al

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"Snakes in Peru are not there for decoration, they really bite people."

Professor David Warrell, Omaha 10/21/05

Al, where did you see that they were protected?
And when?

Thanks,
Randal

Hi:

Saw it on one of Mark O'Shea's shows a year or two ago.

Al
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"Snakes in Peru are not there for decoration, they really bite people."

Professor David Warrell, Omaha 10/21/05

>>Hi:
>>
>>Saw it on one of Mark O'Shea's shows a year or two ago.
>>

That will have been specific to one or two range countries, e.g., South Africa, where it indeed very rare. However, otherwise B.g.g. is widespread and often common through the vast C. African rainforest belt from S. Africa to Nigeria, there is absolutely no indication that it is in anyway endangered or rare globally. Indeed, B. rhinoceros has a much more restricted (and heavily deforested) distribution than B.g.g., so I would imagine that its conservation status is considerably less secure than that of B.g.g.

Differences in what is on the market are more likely to be due to fluctuations in which range states are exporting at the moment, not the state of wild stocks.

Cheers,

Wolfgang
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WW Home

OMG! If Mark OShea said it, it must be true! LOL!

I just did a quick search on the CITES list and B.g.g. isn't even a Appendix 3 animal.

I believe we don't see them available as we used to is because the lack of exporters from that region. However they occasionally pop up from time to time on Kingsnake and other sites.

When I worked for a major importer, we only recieved them sporadically, along with other snakes found in the same region.They are very nice snakes, although their "nasal horns" aren't as pronouced as the sub-species, B.g. rhinoceros aka "West African Gaboon Viper". (the more commonly available snake in the U.S.)

Randal Berry

Some are on the pricelist at www.exoticjungle.net

np