Puff Adders May be the Ultimate Ambush Predators by Using Scent Camouflage

Puff adders may just be the ultimate ambush predators. Scientists have found that these snakes can actually use scent camouflage when stalking prey.

"Puff adders hunt by ambushing their prey, and can lie motionless for weeks at a single location waiting for prey to pass," said Graham Alexander, one of the researchers, in a news release. "This behavior could make puff adders vulnerable to predation."

However, puff adders aren't preyed upon as much as you might think. Instead, puff adders are able to use an amazing chemical camouflage in order to hide themselves.

When under threat, puff adders remain motionless. Puff adders also spend most of their time on the surface under grass or other vegetation and do not seek refuge underground. Researchers have also seen dogs and tame mongooses walking directly over motionless puff adders; both predators seemed completely unaware of the puff adders.

In this latest study, the researchers trained a team of dogs and meerkats to scent-match and test if they could detect the scent of puff adders.

"We asked the meerkats and dogs to scent-match scent samples collected from puff adders and other scent species," said Ashadee Kay-Miller, one of the researchers. "The scents of most snakes were easily identified by the dogs and meerkats, but they failed dismally when it came to puff adder scent."

The findings reveal a bit more about how these snakes manage to survive. More specifically, it shows how the snakes have the ultimate camouflage when it comes to stalking prey and avoiding other predators.

The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

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