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Garthius chaseni
Basic stats
Venom
Venomous (dangerous — treat any bite as a medical emergency)
Diet
Small mammals, lizards, frogs
Habitat
Montane forest
Range
Endemic to Borneo's mountains
Litter size
Live-bearing, poorly documented (typical for pit vipers)
Gestation period
About 5–7 months (typical for pit vipers)
Size
Small-medium pit viper (up to 60cm)
Weight
~50–150g
A venomous pit viper restricted to high-elevation forest on Borneo's mountains, including Kinabalu, and the sole member of its genus — one of several Bornean reptiles found only at cool, montane elevations.
An ambush predator with heat-sensing pits used to detect warm-blooded prey, coiling motionless on low vegetation before striking small mammals, lizards or frogs. Medically significant if it bites — treat with the same caution as any other pit viper and keep well clear if encountered.
