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Abstract
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The Caucasian pit viper Gloydius caucasicus is one of six snake species that is frequently reported as a cause of
venomous snakebite in Iran. We present the results of successful captive breeding of 20 Caucasian pit vipers (10 males and 10
females) collected in August 2018 from the Lar National Park, northern Iran. Mating and copulatory behaviours were observed
from mid-June to early July 2019. Five of the ten females gave birth with parturition occurring from 10 to 13 September, when
17 vipers were born in litter sizes ranging from 2 to 5. The present captive breeding programme has been successful and shows
potential for both venom production and support for conservation by reducing the demand for wild caught specimens
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