Something Odd Appeared in My Yard — At First, I Thought It Was Just a Toy

North Carolina Man Survives Extremely Rare Gaboon Viper Bite

Last year, a man in North Carolina beat the odds after being bitten by a deadly gaboon viper he kept in his home. The medical team treating him was stunned — none of them had ever seen someone survive such a severe bite before.

Gaboon vipers are among the most venomous snakes in the world, and this case required an unprecedented 44 doses of anti-venom, the highest amount ever administered by the attending experts. The man did lose two fingers, but beyond that, he made a remarkable recovery.

Gaboon Viper: A Deadly Yet Surprisingly Calm Predator

Despite their powerful venom, gaboon vipers are not known for being aggressive. In fact, they rarely bite humans unless provoked or stepped on. That’s fortunate, because their fangs — the longest of any venomous snake — can reach a staggering 2 inches (5 centimeters).

Native to Africa, gaboon vipers are also the largest vipers on Earth, growing over 6 feet (1.8 meters) long and weighing more than 45 pounds (20 kilograms). The biggest individuals can have heads nearly 6 inches (15 centimeters) wide.

They thrive in African rainforests and swampy regions, gliding across the forest floor in search of prey. But they’re not active hunters — instead, they lie in wait, blending into the leaf litter thanks to their brown, pink, and purple diamond-like patterns. This camouflage makes them nearly invisible until they strike, usually targeting small to medium-sized mammals and birds.

Behavior and Hunting Habits

Gaboon vipers hunt alone, mainly at night, and are most active around sunset. If threatened, they raise their heads and hiss loudly before deciding whether to strike. Interestingly, they can control how much venom they inject — sometimes delivering a “dry bite” with no venom at all, and other times unleashing enough to kill in minutes.

When extremely hungry, they may react to almost any movement, which is one of the few scenarios where they might accidentally bite a human. Unlike most snakes, gaboon vipers give birth to live young, often producing 50 to 60 offspring at once. They can also live for up to 20 years.

It’s a miracle that the North Carolina man lived to tell his story — and a powerful reminder of just how dangerous, yet fascinating, these snakes can be.