Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Lebanon viper (Montivipera bornmuelleri), recorded as Endangered
Lebanon viper (Montivipera bornmuelleri). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Lebanon viper

Montivipera bornmuelleri

Lebanon viper is a viper in the family Viperidae — Montivipera bornmuelleri. The species is native to Western Asia.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Montivipera bornmuelleri
Taxonomy
Squamata · Viperidae · Montivipera

The viper

M. Bornmuelleri grows to a maximum total length (among them tail) of about 75 cm (30 in), but usually much less. In specimens from Mount Lebanon, the maximum total lengths were 47.3 cm (18.6 in) for females and 53.8 cm (21.2 in) for males.

Range and habitat

M. Bornmuelleri is found in high mountain areas in northern Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. Its preferred natural habitats are cedar forest, shrubland, and alpine grassland. The species is native to Western Asia.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

In crisis

The species M. Bornmuelleri is as of 2006 classified as Endangered (EN) according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the following criteria: B1ab(iii) (v3.1, 2001). This indicates that it is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild because the extent of its occurrence within its geographic range is estimated to be less than 5,000 km2 (1,931 sq mi), because its populations are severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than 5 locations, and because a continued decline is observed, inferred or projected in the area, extent and/or quality of its habitat.

Lebanon viper is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Lebanon viper, Wikidata item Q1713856. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Wagner's Viper (Montivipera wagneri), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Wagner's Viper

Montivipera wagneri
Photograph of Mountain viper (Montivipera albizona), recorded as EndangeredEN

Mountain viper

Montivipera albizona
Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus

Quick answers

What is Lebanon viper?
The species is native to Western Asia.
What is the conservation status of Lebanon viper?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Montivipera bornmuelleri. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Lebanon viper live?
M. Bornmuelleri is found in high mountain areas in northern Israel, Lebanon, and Syria.
Why is Lebanon viper in crisis?
This indicates that it is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild because the extent of its occurrence within its geographic range is estimated to be less than 5,000 km2 (1,931 sq mi), because its populations are severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than 5 locations, and because a continued decline is observed, inferred or projected in the area, extent and/or quality of its habitat.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Montivipera bornmuelleri?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Lebanon viper a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.