Work

Overly optimistic adder, Vipera berus (Linnaeus, 1758), killing and intending to swallow an oversized young hare, Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In snakes, predatory attacks on oversized prey are not uncommon. Here, we describe an adult female Vipera berus that likely bit and intended to swallow an oversized young hare, Lepus europaeus. The estimated mass of the hare was about 10 times greater than that of the viper. The event took place in Denmark, on 10 August 2022. We suggest that the adder under these circumstances might have benefited from a large prey to gain maximum energy after likely having given birth. Greatly oversized prey items killed by snakes are poorly known in literature. Based on published and unpublished reports, we add to the knowledge of snakes’ killings and subsequently abandoning oversized prey items. It may be an underdocumented phenomenon.

Source: Herpetozoa

DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e143850

Authors: Henrik Bringsøe, Daniel Jablonski, Klaus Birch

Institution: Comenius University Bratislava

Language: English

Topic: Amphibian and Reptile Biology

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $539

Funders: Deakin University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique