Indian tree viper, bamboo snake, Indian green tree viper, green tree viper, bamboo viper, bamboo pitviper, boodro pam, grass-green snake, green pit viper.
Craspedocephalus gramineus, known as the bamboo pit viper, Indian green pit viper, or common green pit viper, is a venomous pit viper species found in the southern and north eastern parts of India.
These snakes are usually bright green, rarely yellowish, greyish, or purplish-brown in color, with or without black, brown, or reddish spots. There is usually a light, white, yellow, or red streak along the outer row of scales. Their tail is frequently yellow or red at the end. The lower parts of the body are green, yellow, or whitish in color.
Bamboo pit vipers are native to India. The range of this species has been restricted to southern India especially widespread in a large area of Tamil Nadu. These snakes are also very rarely seen near Harishchandragad and some other mountain ranges of Western Ghats (Sahyadris in Maharashtra). They are also found albeit very scarcely in the eastern region of India spanning from Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Bamboo pit vipers inhabit bamboo groves and forests, usually near streams. They can also be found in dry scrub forests.
Bamboo pit vipers are arboreal slow-moving snakes. They are active at night. Like most snakes, Bamboo pit vipers are solitary creatures and come together only to mate. Although slow, these snakes defend themselves with fast strikes and bites if threatened or injured. When feeling danger they often vibrate their tail.
When threatened, it is aggressive and does not hesitate to bite. The venom is hemotoxic and neurotoxic.
Bamboo pit vipers are carnivores that feed on small rodents, birds, frogs, and lizards.
Little is known about the mating habits of Bamboo pit vipers. They are ovoviviparous which means that the eggs are incubated inside the mother and she gives birth to live snakelets. Female Bamboo pit vipers give birth to 6 to 11 young, which measure up to 4.5 in (110 mm) in length. Snakelets are born fully developed and have to take care of themselves. The young have brightly marked tails which they use to attract small frogs and lizards in order to easier hunt them.
There are no major threats to Bamboo pit vipers. However, in some parts of their habitat, they do suffer from habitat loss due to mining, and degradation because of tourism.
According to IUCN, the Bamboo pit viper is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.