For the first time, a snake found in the arid, desert environment of the Arabian Peninsula has been recorded feeding opportunistically upon fish.
The Oman saw-scaled viper (Echis omanensis) usually eats lizards, small mammals and amphibians, but two different specimens have been observed hunting and consuming garra (Garra barreimiae), a small freshwater fish.
The observations were made in the United Arab Emirates, with the study details published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, alongside a review of fish-eating vipers.
“The diets of snakes are important ecological variables that give insight into the evolution of species and how they interact with their environment,” the report, whose lead author is Theo Busschau from New York University Abu Dhabi, explains, “Among vipers (venomous snakes in the Viperidae family), feeding ecology has contributed significantly to the evolution of fang and skull morphology.”
Saw-scaled vipers are highly venomous snakes that comprise the genus Echis and occur in northern parts of Africa and Western and Southern Asia. There are 12 species, which measure between 30cm to 90cm in length, and are named from the serrated keels on their scales. When threatened, the snake may rub these scales against each other to create a crackling sound.
They are snakes of deserts, savannah and arid scrubland where diet is heavily influenced by availability, with individual species evolving accordingly.
“It is not clear what factors influence diet,” the report details, “but it is likely that diet, and therefore venom evolution, is driven by the most abundant appropriately sized prey available to each species/population where they occur.”
- "That’s the length of a double decker bus!" 33ft monster tops biggest snakes in the world list
- 14 amazing facts about snakes that will surprise you
- These are the world's deadliest snakes
The Oman saw-scaled viper is found in the mountainous regions of Northern Oman and the UAE, where the observations detailed in the report occurred. The first came in May 2023 beside a drying river, known as a wadi, although the snake already had a fish in its mouth which was then ingested. The second observation came in June 2025 beside a different wadi, although on this occasion the snake was observed approaching and catching a garra.
It is believed that the prey species, the garra, spawns in anticipation of flooding, enabling greater distribution of fry. As floodwater subsides so many temporary pools remain, leaving some fish stranded, or massed within shallow water. The research paper suggests that the hunting habits of Echis omanensis point to the snakes’ recognition of the pools as potential food sources.
“Observing snakes feeding in the wild is rare. It is even more rare to observe snakes feeding on uncommon, seasonal or locality-specific prey items like fish.” The report concludes. “We therefore emphasise the importance in sharing natural history observations in the form of natural history notes, on citizen science platforms… even when the diet of a species is assumed to be known.”
Read more about the study, published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.
More wildlife stories from around the world
- We thought Britain only had one venomous snake. These scientists think they've found another
- ‘Ghost’ green mamba rediscovered after 90 years
- Night-hunting snake discovered in New Guinea. It’s almost a metre long and waits for prey at the bottom of trees
- “We would find piles of rattlesnakes.” Scientists witness undocumented snake behaviour in Wyoming's mountains
- It's the biggest snake den on the planet – 100,000 crammed into a small cavern
Top image: Oman saw-scaled viper feeding on a garra from a drying pool in Wadi Wurrayah, United Arab Emirates. Credit: adapted from Theo Busschau et al., Ecology and Evolution 2026
