Daboia palaestinae
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Daboia palaestinae, also known as the Palestine viper, is a viper species endemic to the Levant. Like all vipers, it is venomous. It is considered a leading cause of snakebite within its range. No subspecies are currently recognized.
It grows to an average total length (body + tail) of 70 to 90 cm (28 to 35 in), with a maximum total length of 130 cm (51 in). The head is triangular, distinct from the neck and covered by small scales. The upper part of the body is colored by large dark rhomboid blotches sometimes forming a zig-zag pattern.
The harmless coin-marked snake, which lives in the same areas as the Palestine viper, resembles it in length, coloration and defensive behavior, to the extent that people frequently get confused between them. This is probably a case of Batesian mimicry.
It is found in northern and central Israel, Palestine, western Syria, northwestern Jordan, and Lebanon. In 2017 a specimen was found in Turkey. Mallow et al. (2003) describe the range as relatively restricted, with the distribution being concentrated in the Mediterranean coastal plains to the inland hills of Lebanon and Israel, along with the adjoining regions... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moscow Zoo | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 2 | Dallas Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Midbarium | 🇮🇱 Israel | |
| 4 | Reptilienzoo Nockalm | 🇦🇹 Austria |
No species of the same family or order lives in Tel Aviv, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Palestine Viper sighting in Tel Aviv on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 9th most-seen of the 14 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Palestine Viper in Tel Aviv on a given day, against under 5% in March–June and October–December, the lowest months. That is one of Tel Aviv's driest months, with almost no rain against 90 mm in January.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Palestine Viper sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Palestine Viper sightings, Tel Aviv ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Jerusalem (Israel, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Palestine Viper is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Tel Aviv (10 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
