Jacksonville, Florida, November 26, 2007 – Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has become Bushmaster pit viper central among zoos nationwide. The fourteen babies are the first offspring of the Zoo’s 5-year-old, 7-foot 6-inch female Bushmaster and its male mate. This is the first time the two have produced offspring. The eggs were hatched after a 75-day incubation period on September 1, 2007. Each of the neonate Bushmasters (Lachesis muta muta) were an average of 2 ½ ounces in weight and 22 ½ inches long.
The Bushmaster is native to the remote forested areas in Central and South America and the only pit viper that lays eggs. It can grow to 7 foot 9 inches long and is noted for its multiple bite strikes, injecting large amounts of venom. Even the bite of a juvenile Bushmaster can be fatal. The snakes are rare in captivity, and zoos from all over the country clamored for the babies. They will be shipped to their new homes within the next two months.
“Normally, there are no more than 12 eggs hatched–even that many is a rare occurrence,†commented Dino Ferri, curator of herpetology at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
One of the Bushmaster babies along with its female and the male parents, who have been at the Zoo since 2003, can be seen in the Lost Temple located at the back of the Range of the Jaguar.
For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 plant species. The Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Located on Jacksonville’s north side one quarter mile off I-95 (for detours due to I-95 construction go to Jacksonville zoo.org.) The Zoo is open year-round, 7 days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information on the Zoo, log on to jacksonvillezoo.org.