Scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society of New York (USA) and the Museo delle Scienze of Trento (Italy) have discovered a spectacular species of colored venomous snake in a remote area of Tanzania (Africa) which they have named as Matilda ( Atheris matildae ). It is a black and yellow viper that measures about 60 centimeters and has individual crests or staggered horns over its eyes. The discovery has been described in the latest issue of the Zootaxa publication.
Their habitat, which scientists estimate to be a few square kilometers, is in fact already severely degraded by the logging and charcoal industry. The authors of the find hope that the species will be classified as critically endangered and have established a small breeding colony that they feed in captivity to promote their reproduction. In fact, they are trying to keep the exact location of this new species a secret, as the new snake could be of interest to illegal pet collectors.
