Page 19 - BBC Knowledge - October 2017 IN

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NAMIB DESERT, NAMIBIA

If you find yourself wandering
through the vast deserts of Namibia,
watch where you put your feet! The
Peringuey adder, also known as Bitis
peringueyi, spends much of its time
buried under the sand. As an
ambush predator, the snake needs
to remain unseen, and the sand
provides the perfect camouflage.
Dr Brian Crother from
Southeastern Louisiana University,
the USA says: “The desert adder
burrows into the sand, leaving its
eyes, which sit on top of his head,
and its black-tipped tail exposed.
The black tail tip is gently waved
about and used as a lure to bring
lizards [its prey] within striking
distance.”
As a desert-dweller, the snake has
a number of adaptations to survive
in the harsh environment. First, it can
travel using a form of locomotion
called ‘sidewinding’, where just two
points of its body are in contact with
the sand at a time. This allows it to
PHOTO: ALAMY and reduces contact with the hot PHOTO: ALAMY
move quickly across loose terrain,
sand. Second, water from morning
fog condenses on its body,
which it then drinks.