The capital's zoo has had a new addition - a venomous snake has given birth to a cub. It is about island kufia, this species of reptiles belongs to the subfamily of pit vipers of the viper family. The coloration of these snakes can vary from grassy green to blue and yellow.
Currently, the parents and newborn are in an enclosed area. Visitors can see these snakes in the snake hut exhibit located in the old zoo grounds.
Island koufias regularly bring offspring in the Moscow Zoo. The female does not take care of the cubs after they are born. Newborn snakes are usually small, about 15 centimeters in length. According to zoo director Svetlana Akulova, the diet of the newborn, whose sex has not yet been determined, consists of small frogs, but later it will switch to rodents.
The peculiarity of island kufia, as well as other pitheads, is the presence of thermolocator - a paired sensory organ located between the eyes and nostrils. This organ allows snakes to find prey - small mammals and birds, in poor light conditions.
The Moscow Zoo, founded in 1864, is one of the oldest in Europe. Rare and endangered animal species are kept, bred and rehabilitated here. The zoo actively cooperates with other Russian and foreign zoos within the framework of species conservation programs, the press service of the capital's mayor's office reports.
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