{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "adder",
  "name": "Adder",
  "scientificName": "Vipera berus",
  "category": "Reptile",
  "summary": "The adder (Vipera berus) is Britain's only venomous snake, a stocky viper of heathland, moorland, woodland edges, and dunes across Europe and into Asia. It grows to about 60 to 90 cm and roughly 100 g, and is recognised by the dark zigzag stripe down its back. It slithers out to bask and hunt small mammals, lizards, and frogs. Its bite is venomous but rarely fatal, and adders live 10 to 15 years.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Reptilia",
    "order": "Squamata",
    "family": "Viperidae",
    "genus": "Vipera"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.1,
    "lengthM": 0.8,
    "topSpeedKmh": 8,
    "lifespanYears": 15
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Vipera berus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (small mammals, lizards, frogs)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Heathland, moorland, woodland edges, dunes"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "10–15 years"
    },
    {
      "label": "Length",
      "value": "60–90 cm (24–35 in)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Venom",
      "value": "Venomous; bites rarely fatal to humans"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Heathland, moorland, and woodland across Europe and into East Asia, reaching within the Arctic Circle; the UK's only native venomous snake.",
    "continents": [
      "Europe",
      "Asia"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Vipera berus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Vipera%20berus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Vipera berus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Vipera_berus/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Adder.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adder"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/adder/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/adder/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}