Bitis atropos
The Berg Adder, or Mountain Adder, is a smallish viper restricted to the mountain ranges of South Africa’s southern coast, the Drakensberg range on the border of Lesotho and Kwazulu-Natal province, the escarpment of Mpumalanga and Limpopo and the mountains on the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. They prefer relatively open montane heathland and grassland on mountains in high rainfall areas and may be found from sea level even to the crests of our highest peaks. They feed on a variety of amphibians, reptiles and small mammals and birds.
Usually towards the end of summer female Berg Adders give birth to litters of 4-15 live babies measuring about 13cm in length.
Their small size of only about 30-40cm in length notwithstanding these are rather aggressive snakes that strike easily, with mountaineers often falling victim when they’re climbing and putting their hands on or near one of these snakes basking on a rock. While there’s no record of human fatalities from their neurotoxic venom the effects of a bite may include temporary paralysis of parts of the nervous system, including the senses, and difficulty breathing, requiring hospitalisation to manage the symptoms.
According to the IUCN it is not in any danger of extinction.
DeWetsWild 
I have nearly stepped on a Berg Adder more than once during my years hiking in the Drakensberg – they are well camouflaged!
When you’re hiking in the mountains you don’t always want to be looking down either, Anne. I don’t even want to think about how many Berg Adders we might have just missed stepping on while looking up towards the peaks!
Hy is eintlik piep klein. Gou gekyk na 30 cm. Het jy hom gefotografeer? Lyk nogal baie soos sy nefie die pofadder.
Die bergadder is inderdaad baie kleiner as die pofadder, Ineke. Ja, ons het hierdie een by Giants Castle in die Drakensberg raakgeloop.