Believe it or not, you can find 6 types of venomous snakes in Lebanon.

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 Lebanon:

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#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 Lebanon.

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.

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#2. Lebanon Viper

• Montivipera bornmuelleri

Also known as Bornmueller’s Viper.

• These small snakes are 47-75 cm (19-30 in) long on average, with males being larger and brighter in color.
• Their body colors range from gray, tan, and brown to black. You’ll notice a fragmented pattern of bars and blotches on their backs.
• Their tails are short, with a yellow tip. They have large, triangular heads distinct from their necks.

Hidden in the heart of cedar forests, alpine grasslands, and shrublands in Lebanon is the extremely rare Lebanon Viper. Every September, these snakes take to the top of rocky mountains to hibernate for the winter. Then, by May, they migrate downhill to spend their summers where it’s lush and warm.

Sadly, Lebanon Vipers are endangered. Their natural habitats are threatened by herd overgrazing, development of roads, and tourism activities. With fragmented populations, it becomes harder for them to find a mate.

Be careful around animal burrows and tall bushes where Lebanon Vipers might be hunting for mice, voles, lizards, and small mammals. These vipers are highly venomous, and one bite can send a healthy adult to an urgent trip to the hospital! Symptoms may include dizziness, respiratory distress, internal bleeding, and heart failure. Remember, timely administration of antivenom is crucial to save lives!

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#3. Palestine Viper

• Daboia palaestinae

Also known as Palestinian Viper.

Identifying Characteristics:

• Adults grow 70-90 cm (28-35 in) long.
• They are stout-bodied snakes with short, tapered tails, flat heads, and blunt snouts.
• You can find dark V-shaped markings on the top and on both sides of the head.
• Their coloring is brown, gray, and olive, with dark bands and zigzags.

This highly venomous viper makes its home in Lebanon in forests, hills, marshlands, and coastal plains. Palestine Vipers are nocturnal predators, ambushing rodents, small mammals, birds, and lizards that sleep at night.

The Palestine Viper prefers places where rat populations and water sources are abundant. Unfortunately, these tend also to be places where humans live and farm, and this species is responsible for most of the snake bites in its native range.

To steer clear of this venomous snake in Lebanon, listen carefully for loud hissing noises! Palestine Vipers often loiter on tree branches high above the ground. Thankfully, they aren’t immediately aggressive and prefer to escape if disturbed.

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#4. 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 Lebanon 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!

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#5. 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 Lebanon 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.

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#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 Lebanon, 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!

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Check out these guides to other animals found in Lebanon!

• 11 Types of Snakes That Live in Lebanon! (ID Guide)

• 25 MOST Common Birds That Live in Lebanon!

• 18 MOST Common SPIDERS Found in Lebanon!

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Which of these venomous snakes have you seen before in Lebanon?

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