6 Venomous Snakes found in Iraq (2025)
Believe it or not, you can find 6 types of venomous snakes in Iraq.
But please don’t live in fear, thinking that you are going to be bitten. In general, snakes try to avoid any contact or interaction with people. If you leave them alone, you shouldn’t have any trouble!
Did you know that snakes are venomous, NOT poisonous? If you eat something that makes you sick, then it’s considered “poisonous.” If an animal, like a snake, delivers its toxins when it bites, it’s considered “venomous.”
*If you encounter any of these species, PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB! Venomous snakes are dangerous animals and should be left alone. The more you agitate them, the more likely you will get bitten. DO NOT RELY ON THIS ARTICLE to correctly identify a snake that has recently bitten you. If you have recently been bitten, GO DIRECTLY to the nearest hospital to get help and to determine if the snake is venomous.*
Venomous Snakes in Iraq:
#1. Arabian Horned Viper
- Cerastes gasperettii
Also known as Gasperetti’s Horned Sand Viper, Horned Viper.
- These small, stout-bodied snakes can grow 30-60 cm (12-24 in) long.
- Like most vipers, they have flat triangular heads. In addition, most specimens have horn-like scales above their eyes.
- Their coloring is tan or gray, perfect for blending into the sand. They have white bellies and a series of dark bars along their backs.
Scorching deserts are home to this devilish-looking venomous snake in Iraq.
The Arabian Horned Viper is a patient predator, lying in wait beneath the sand with only its eyes protruding. As unwary rodents, beetles, or lizards pass by, this viper strikes with deadly accuracy.
Arabian Horned Vipers are most active at night, escaping the heat like other desert creatures. When the sun is high, they seek shelter in abandoned animal burrows. Early in the day, however, you might find one basking in the morning sun.
Listen carefully! These venomous vipers will tell you if you’re straying too close to their territory by hissing loudly.
Bite symptoms are serious and include excessive bleeding and convulsions, potentially leading to death. Seek medical assistance at once if you’ve been bitten.
#2. Field’s Horned Viper
- Pseudocerastes fieldi
Also known as False Horned Viper, Field’s Viper.
- These stout-bodied snakes are 46-122 cm (18-48 in) long on average. Their short, slender tails are visibly black on the tip.
- Their heads are pear-shaped and flattened, visibly distinct from their necks. Their snouts are short and blunt.
- The horn-like protrusions above this viper’s eyes aren’t as remarkable as other related viper species. That’s why it has another common name, the “False Horned Viper.”
Look for this venomous snake in Iraq among deserts and shrublands. If you find S-shaped markings on the sand, it might mean that a Field’s Horned Viper is nearby, moving in a sidewinding pattern. Be particularly watchful near rock crevices and animal burrows where this viper likes to nest.
Field’s Horned Viper Range Map
Field’s Horned Vipers are masters of the night. In the cover of darkness, they set out to hunt unsuspecting lizards, mice, small mammals, birds, and spiders.
Their venom is neurotoxic, and victims who get bitten may experience extreme pain, swelling, and even paralysis.
Though they’re typically shy and live far from human civilization, Field’s Horned Vipers won’t hesitate to attack if they feel cornered. First, they will hiss at you to announce a warning. If that happens, it’s best that you back away and leave the area before they get a chance to strike!
#3. Levantine Viper
- Macrovipera lebetinus
Also known as the Lebetine Viper, Levant Viper, Lebanese Viper, Blunt-nosed Viper, West-Asian Blunt-nosed Viper, Mountain Viper, Coffin Snake.
- Adults are 150 cm (59 in) long on average.
- Usual body colorations include gray, beige, or tan. They’re spotted or striped brown and blue along their bodies.
- True to their common name, “Blunt-nosed Viper,” they have blunt snouts. They also have flat, broad, triangular heads.
Lurking among the mountain valleys, rocky hills, and shrublands of Iraq is the Levantine Viper, a true master of disguise. By day, this snake hides under the cool shade of trees or stakes out near water holes.
When the sun goes down, the Levantine Viper positions itself to catch lizards, birds, and rats (juvenile vipers, on the other hand, prefer to eat insects). Though sluggish and unmoving for the most part, this viper will strike with astonishing speed at any passing prey!
Unfortunately, this highly venomous species frequently finds its way into urban areas searching for mice. Bite incidents from Levantine Vipers are common, causing abdominal pain, blistering, internal bleeding, and death in the worst cases. If you get bitten, seek medical help at once!
#4. Moila Snake
- Malpolon moilensis
Also known as False Cobra, Hooded Malpolon, Talheh Snake.
- Adults are 80-140 cm (31-55 in) on average, but longer specimens reach 190 cm (75 in) long.
- Their eyes are big and round.
- They are light tan or straw in color. There’s a checkered pattern of brown spots across their bodies. Their bellies are paler in contrast.
Look for this venomous snake in Iraq near stony deserts and dry shrublands.
It feeds on lizards, gerbils, beetles, and small birds during the day. However, it may adapt to hotter weather by hunting at night.
Curiously, the Moila Snake is sought after in the exotic pet trade despite being venomous. However, think twice before you decide to keep this snake as a pet. Some individuals are calm, while others are short-tempered, and Moila Snakes are notoriously volatile. Therefore, only experienced keepers can safely handle them.
If threatened, this species will flatten and spread its neck into a hood as a means of intimidation. This behavior is how it earned its other common name, the “False Cobra.” The venom isn’t strong enough to kill a human, but it can cause excruciating pain and swelling.
#5. Spider-tailed Horned Viper
- Pseudocerastes urarachnoides
Also known as Spiny-tailed Horned Viper, Iranian Spider Viper, Iranian Spider-tailed Viper, False Horned Viper.
- Adults are 55-86 cm (22-34 in) long on average.
- Their bodies are covered with heavily ridged scales and are mostly colored brown, gray, tan, or cream.
- Also nicknamed “False Horned Viper,” this species has minor horn-like scales on top of their eyes.
- The surest way to identify this snake is to look for its orange bulb-like tail, surrounded by long droopy spikes (unmistakably looking like a spider in action)!
Iraq is teeming with unique and beautiful creatures, and among its most spectacular inhabitants is the Spider-tailed Horned Viper. As its name promises, this viper employs a hunting technique to attract prey like no other: a tail disguised as a moving spider!
With its body full of scales, the Spider-tailed Horned Viper sits perfectly camouflaged among cracks and holes in the rocks. Then, it repeatedly moves the tip of its treacherous tail into a number 8 figure, catching the attention of passing birds and snakes.
Sure enough, these predators get close enough to strike at what they think is a vulnerable spider. Finally, the true hunter strikes faster than the victims can realize that they’re actually the prey!
Unfortunately, the populations of this magnificent creature are dwindling in the wild. The Spider-tailed Horned Viper’s natural range is very limited, to begin with, and it’s highly coveted and poached by snake collectors.
The venom of this species is both cytotoxic and neurotoxic, which means it targets the cells and the nervous system of its victims. Thankfully, there has never been a recorded case of a human being bitten by the Spider-tailed Horned Viper in the wild.
#6. Western Black Desert Cobra
- Walterinnesia aegyptia
Also known as Desert Cobra, Desert Black Snake.
- Adults are 50-130 cm (20-51 in) long on average. They have short tails.
- As their common name suggests, these snakes are completely black all over. Their bodies are covered with shiny black scales.
- They have small, flattened heads which are distinct from their necks. They also have sharp snouts and small eyes.
If you want to avoid this dangerous snake in Iraq, be extra careful when you’re in rocky deserts, scrublands, and foothills. Sometimes, Western Black Desert Cobras can stray into farmlands in search of prey. Thankfully, these shy, solitary snakes prefer to escape rather than attack when disturbed.
Lizards, toads, other snakes, mice, and birds are all on the menu for the Western Black Desert Cobra. Also, this snake won’t waste the chance to eat dead food when available. Interestingly, this snake species doesn’t exclusively rely on its deadly venom to subdue its prey. It can also lunge from short distances, bite sideways, and use constriction techniques.
The bite of a Western Black Desert Cobra is no joke, even more venomous than the famous Indian Cobra from Asia and the iconic Cape Cobra from Africa! There have not been enough clinical reports to fully understand the effects of this cobra’s venom. However, we do know that it targets the nervous system and can cause nausea, vomiting, fever, and intense pain. Keep your distance!
Check out these guides to other animals found in Iraq!
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13 Types of Snakes That Live in Iraq! (ID Guide)
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25 MOST Common Birds That Live in Iraq!
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9 MOST Common SPIDERS Found in Iraq!
Which of these venomous snakes have you seen before in Iraq?
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