Tag: snake

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Virtual Rainforest Hike with Iván Castillo

Earlier I shared two videos of virtual night & day rainforest hikes with one of the young female guides at Selva Verde Lodge, Melany Ocón. The kind I experience on my trips, though we see more on our live hikes than these short videos . . .

Today is a hike with one of the young male guides whom I have been hiking with before when there (an expert on frogs). We saw a lot more than they see on this video, but it gives you an idea of what it is like to hike at Selva Verde Lodge & Reserve, one of my many favorite places in Costa Rica. You will see a couple of frogs, a helmeted lizard, a pit viper and an anteater, so worth your effort to watch for 20 minutes and see just a little of why I love to explore the forests of Costa Rica with guides like Iván and Melany. June 30 I head north of Sarapiqui (location of these videos) for a week at Maquenque Lodge with other guides but similar experiences. And remember that English is not their first language! They do much better with English than I do with Spanish!   🙂

 

“If man doesn’t learn to treat the oceans and the rainforest with respect, man will become extinct.” 
~Peter Benchley

And for my photos of two visits to Selva Verde Lodge, Sarapiqui:

2019-May 9-15 — Selva Verde Lodge Sarapiqui

2016 December 23-27 – Selva Verde Lodge, Sarapiqui

¡Pura Vida!

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My One Fear – Terciopelo or Fer-de-lance

Its Terciopelo in Costa Rica or Fer-de-lance in the states, but with either name one of the most poisonous snakes in the world and we have them in my Roca Verde neighborhood unfortunately. The above photo is a dead one I just photographed while walking to town, on the sidewalk just outside our Roca Verde main gate. Since two people I know in Roca Verde have been bitten and I have found two dead ones myself, this one and another one earlier in the street in front of my house, I am more conscious of them being here and no longer leave my back door (garden door) open since there is no screen door on it.

All the clinics and hospitals have the anti-venom and if you get there quick enough, you live – but it is still scary and very painful I’ve been told.

For most this video will probably not appeal to you. It is a Terciopelo eating a frog. Snake lovers seem to love this kind of video!  🙂  At least it shows what they eat which is not people! Biting people is for their self-defense. Both persons biten here actually stepped on the snake while barefooted! And I never go out barefoot! Common sense caution is my defense.

 

Learn more about Terciopelo in the Wikipedia article in English.

This snake lives only in Central America, Mexico and northern South America.

Rain

As I type it is pouring down rain with the loudest thunder I’ve ever heard! Kind of like parts of the states, we are having above average rain this year and starting earlier in the day. So far the flowers seem to like it! And it is rainy season!    🙂

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Unknown Snake at Rancho Naturalista

Unknown Snake
 I zoomed in or cropped one photo for this closer look.
Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

Unknown Snake
I’m  guessing about 2 meters long. 
Rancho Naturalista, Costa Rica

He was outside in front of the laundry room and as we gave him attention, he disappeared in the leaves and undergrowth of one of the flowers. At first glance he is a dark brown snake, like the one I saw cross a trail here on my arrival day. At closer look he seems to have an orange belly or at least up front and to have other colors than just brown on his back or dorsal side. See first image. He is similar to 3 or 4 in my snake book, but not an exact match, so I am not naming him.

See my Costa Rica Reptiles Photo Gallery for about 24 species

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Smashed Fer-de-Lance in My Street

The markings are very similar to a deadly Fer de Lance snake. Not positive.
On a walk through the neighborhood we saw this on street in front of my house.

Thought you would like this post the day after my”Al fresco Living” post!   🙂

Panic over a snake does not help anyone. Generally they are more afraid of people than we are of them is my belief. This is only the 4th snake I have seen anywhere in Costa Rica in 18 months! And I have been in several national parks where they are known to be more common. Common sense caution is my preferred way to react to something like this. So far no problem! Hope never! And if one ever does get in my house I will be asking the landlord for a screen door on my garden door.  🙂

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Tortuguero Reptiles

Ebony Keelback snake, on banks of Tortuguero River, Costa Rica
It is similar to a Mussurana, which is more common in South America than here.

Many people think that they will see more snakes than anything in the rainforest, but that is not usually the case as they fear humans more than we fear them and many are well camouflaged. I’m including a second photo of the only snake we saw in Tortuguero to show the full length:

Ebony Keelback snake, Tortuguero, Costa rica
Green Iguana was the most often seen reptile. This male is orange because he is mating.
Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica
Green Basilisk or “Jesus Christ Lizard” because he walks on water.
Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica
Spectacled Caiman, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Spectacled Caiman, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica
Note that this is a lighter color than the first photo. Color varies and light makes photos different.
Black River Turtle, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Be not in haste, said the tortoise.There is nothing here but time.

If you live long enough, you will see.Of course, though, you will see them from your cage.

Live long enough? I asked. Are there mortal dangers here?
The tortoise chuckled. 

The boy doesn’t always take very good care of his prisoners, Rex the lizard chimed in.
What do you mean? He doesn’t feed us enough?

Sometimes he doesn’t understand what we need to survive, Rex answered. Sometimes he plays too rough.

How can a creature able to bend the laws of nature be so cruel? I asked.” 

― Patrick Jennings, We Can’t All Be Rattlesnakes

Pura Vida!

Check out my  Costa Rica Reptiles  Photo Gallery