Trail edge tree vipers

"What kind of snake have you not seen that you would like most to see?"

The question was posed by Sandy, a first time participant in our herp-tours to the Peruvian Amazon. I thought for a moment and then replied, "Bothriopsis bilineata smaragdinus, the Western two-lined forest pit viper."

Where would you expect to see it?" Sandy then asked.

My prompt answer was "Somewhere along the trail we will be on tonight." Then no more was said on the subject.

That afternoon it rained a bit, promising a hot and humid night walk along a wet trail. In other words, a rather typical rainforest walk was the evening agenda.

Darkness comes quickly on the equator. By the time we finished supper, the velveteen darkness had enveloped us. Flashlights were activated, spare batteries were pocketed, and we were outward bound on a 2-mile long circular trail. The trail was slippery, muddy in spots, and we moved slowly, stopping to look at a treefrog, a planarian, a tailless whip scorpion, or a sleeping lizard every few feet.

Finally at the half way point we stopped for a "breather." Our guides forged on ahead to ascertain that the trail was not obscured by a treefall or other such natural impediment. A few of us stood talking, and then Sandy quietly asked, "Is this one of the snakes you wanted to see?"

Next to the path, at shoulder height, she had found a neonate Bothriopsis! And before we left the area the group had found three more. Sandy definitely got the "attagirl" award on that trip.

More photos under the jump...

Three of the four neonate tree vipers we found on that night: A closer look at two of the babies:

Author, photographer, and columnist Richard Bartlett is one of the most prolific writers on herpetological subjects in the 20th century. With hundreds of books and articles to their credit, Richard and his wife Pat have spent over four decades documenting reptiles both in the field and in captivity. For a list of their current titles, please visit their page in our bookstore.