<p><b>Ovophis malhotrae</b>, also known as Malhotra's viper, is a strikingly patterned snake found in the dense forests of the Eastern Himalayas, thriving at elevations of 1000 to 2900 meters. This nocturnal predator plays a vital role in its ecosystem by controlling populations of small mammals, birds, and amphibians, with a distinctive reproductive strategy of giving birth to live young.</p>