gaboon

Gaboon is an historical English spelling used for Gabon, a country in Central Africa. The form also appears in the common name of the Gaboon viper, a large venomous snake named after the country.

Gabon lies along the Atlantic coast of Central Africa and is bordered by Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo. The capital is Libreville. French is the official language, and the country is characterized by tropical rainforests, river systems such as the Ogooué, and diverse wildlife.

The Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) is one of Africa's largest venomous snakes. It has a heavy body, a broad head, and a cryptic brown-tan pattern that camouflages it in leaf litter. Its long fangs can exceed 2 cm. The venom is cytotoxic and necrotoxic. The snake is an ambush predator and gives birth to live young, typically 10–60 at a time.