Eastern steppe viper
Vipera renardi
A small venomous steppe viper — rare in Georgia; found in open steppes and foothills.
Overview
What is Eastern steppe viper
The eastern steppe viper (Vipera renardi), also called Renard's viper, is a venomous member of the viper family. It ranges from south-eastern Europe into Central Asia; IUCN also includes Transcaucasian populations in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. In Georgia it occurs on the Javakheti and Erusheti plateaus (often treated as V. r. eriwanensis / southern steppe viper) and in the east around the Shiraki Plateau and Dedoplistskaro (Shemakha group / kakhetiensis). It is relatively small (about 40–60 cm), with a dark dorsal zigzag, and prefers open steppe habitats. The European regional IUCN assessment lists it as Vulnerable due to habitat loss.
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Gallery
Eastern steppe viper in photos
Photo: Daor1009
Photo: Vitalii Petrochenko
Photo: Matvey
Photo: Vitalii Petrochenko
Photo: Boris Tuniyev
Identification
How to identify Eastern steppe viper
The eastern steppe viper is a small venomous steppe species. Size, a dorsal zigzag, and open steppe habitat are the main cues — and it is rare in Georgia.
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Relatively small — length roughly 40–60 cm.
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The pupil is vertical; scales are keeled; the head is broad.
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A dark zigzag or row of blotches on a pale dorsum.
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In Georgia it is tied to the Javakheti–Erusheti plateaus and Kakheti steppe.
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Smaller and more steppe-bound than the Levantine viper; lacks the nose-horn of V. transcaucasiana.
Quiz
Next: which snake is it?
Eastern steppe viper is in the Georgia snake quiz. Ten field photos, four names — eye practice, not field ID.
Biology
Habitat, diet, behavior, and conservation
Habitat and range
It prefers open steppe, meadows, scrub, and rocky foothills — often well-drained slopes and semi-arid zones. In Georgia — in Samtskhe–Javakheti (Javakheti and Erusheti plateaus, Stipa steppe) and Kakheti (Shiraki Plateau, Dedoplistskaro, near Khornabuji, and the Artsivis Kheoba foothills). Vertically it occurs from roughly 0–2,500 m; eastern Georgian populations are mostly at low to mid elevations, while Javakheti records are on higher steppe plateaus.
Diet
Often feed on orthopterans — grasshoppers and related insects — as well as lizards and small rodents. Juveniles hunt smaller invertebrates and lizards. It hunts by ambush and subdues prey with venom.
Behavior
Active in the warm season — in Georgia and Azerbaijan roughly from April to early October. In spring and autumn it is often diurnal; in summer heat it seeks shade and scrub. It hibernates in crevices and under stones. It is ovoviviparous: pregnancy lasts about three months; young are born in July– August (sometimes up to 10–17 individuals).
Conservation
Listed as Vulnerable in the European regional IUCN assessment — over 30% habitat loss across the last three generations and ongoing fragmentation. The main threat is conversion of steppe and meadows to intensive agriculture and overgrazing. It is rare in Georgia; eastern populations were reconfirmed after a 75-year gap. It benefits ecosystems by regulating insects and rodents.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Eastern steppe viper.
It is venomous, though danger is rated moderate — milder than the Levantine or nose-horned viper. Immediate medical attention is still required; the snake bites mainly when it feels threatened.
Rarely — in Samtskhe–Javakheti (Javakheti and Erusheti plateaus) and Kakheti (Shiraki Plateau, around Dedoplistskaro and Khornabuji). Open steppe and foothill habitats are key.
The steppe viper is smaller (about 40–60 cm) and prefers open steppe. The Levantine viper is large, egg-laying, and lives in dry eastern lowlands. The nose-horned viper has a snout horn and is linked to the Lesser Caucasus highlands.
It is ovoviviparous — young are born in July–August; pregnancy lasts about three months.
Intensive conversion and overgrazing of steppe and meadows destroy its habitat and fragment the range. The European IUCN assessment lists it as Vulnerable; Georgian populations are small and scarce.
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- IUCN Red List
- GBIF
- The Reptile Database
- Tuniyev et al. 2018 — Rediscovery of the steppe viper in Georgia
- Mebert et al. 2025 — Steppe vipers of Western Asia
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
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