Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Wagner's Viper (Montivipera wagneri), recorded as Critically Endangered
Wagner's Viper (Montivipera wagneri). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Wagner's Viper

Montivipera wagneri

Wagner's Viper is a viper in the family Viperidae — Montivipera wagneri. The species is native to eastern Turkey and northwestern Iran.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Montivipera wagneri
CITES
Appendix II
Taxonomy
Squamata · Viperidae · Montivipera

Appearance

The snout is rounded and covered with small keeled scales. The rostal is in contact with 2–3 apical scales. The eyes are in broad contact with the large supraoculars and surrounded by 12–15 circumorbital scales.

V. Wagneri grows to a maximum total length (among them tail) of 70 to 95 cm (28 to 37 in).

Range and habitat

Wagner's Viper is found in the mountains of eastern Turkey and adjacent northwestern Iran. The type locality given is "vicinity of Lake Urmia (Armenisch-Persische Grenze ), province Azerbaijan, N.W. Wagner's Viper is found at altitudes of 1,600 to 1,900 m (5,200 to 6,200 ft) in rocky and grassy habitats.

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

In crisis

The species M. Wagneri was classified as "endangered" (EN) in 1996. In 2009 the status was changed to "critically endangered" (CR) due to strong population decline caused by exploitation and collection for the international pet trade. This species is also listed on CITES Appendix II, that means that it is not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may become so if international trade in it is not monitored.

The main threats are capture for the exotic pet trade and habitat loss due to dam construction. Nine endangered ocellate mountain vipers were hatched on August 16, 2013 at the St.

Wagner's Viper is Critically 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 Wagner's Viper, Wikidata item Q280972. 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 Lebanon viper (Montivipera bornmuelleri), recorded as EndangeredEN

Lebanon viper

Montivipera bornmuelleri
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 Wagner's Viper?
The species is native to eastern Turkey and northwestern Iran.
What is the conservation status of Wagner's Viper?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Montivipera wagneri. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Wagner's Viper live?
Wagner's Viper is found in the mountains of eastern Turkey and adjacent northwestern Iran.
Why is Wagner's Viper in crisis?
In 2009 the status was changed to "critically endangered" (CR) due to strong population decline caused by exploitation and collection for the international pet trade.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Montivipera wagneri?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Wagner's Viper a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.