Reptiles – Syndication Server

‘Would you have stepped on it?’ Deadly snake ridiculously hard to spot

The puff adder is nearly impossible to spot until the narrator zooms in and reveals the venomous snake hiding in the bushes.

The puff adder is one of the deadliest snakes in Africa, and also an expert at camouflage.

Can you spot the puff adder in the accompanying image, or in the footage before the narrator zooms in? (Footage posted below.)

Or, as asked by Watamu Snake Farm in Kenya: “Would you have stepped on it?”

As for the image, look just left of the dangling gold leaf and good luck. The answer is best provided in the footage as the narrator discusses the snake’s ability to remain hidden while it “lies in wait.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCHH8gSoBrO/

A few facts about puff adders, courtesy of Siyabona Africa:

–The puff adder gets its name for its propensity to inflate itself and hiss when threatened.

–The puff adder’s venom causes swelling, blisters, and tissue damage. Snake bite victims are urged to seek medical help as quickly as possible. (Most fatalities occur because of a secondary infection or improper medial care.)

–The puff adder is extra dangerous because it typically holds its ground when danger approaches, relying on camouflage. It will not retreat from footsteps and it will bite if stepped upon.

From Siyabona Africa: “The Puff Adder is responsible for more bites and fatalities in Africa than any other snake due to its habit of not moving away from approaching footsteps, instead blowing out air as a warning, hence the name.”

No mistaking fabled ‘king’ after close encounter in India

Folks quizzed about the identity of a large snake photographed recently in India did not require much time to form a consensus.

An Indian Forest Service employee this week shared an image showing a large snake pausing in a clearing with its head and neck raised in a classic cobra posture.

Parveen Kaswan stated via X: “This beauty. Let’s see who can guess the species.”

Responses quickly formed an overwhelming consensus that the snake in question was, as one commenter remarked, “The King himself.”

King cobras, which can measure 15-plus feet, are the longest venomous snakes on earth. They inhabit rainforests and plains in northern India, southern China, and Southeast Asia.

(Click here to view Kaswan’s post on X.)

Although rarely encountered, king cobras are revered in India, where they’re considered the national reptile.

They’re not typically aggressive toward humans, choosing to escape rather than bite in most cases. But a king cobra bite, if not treated immediately, can kill a person in less than 30 minutes.

MORE: CAN YOU SPOT THE RATTLESNAKE HIDING IN BACKYARD?

Kaswan, at the time of this post, had not provided details regarding the sighting. Nor had he responded to comments beneath his X post.

One follower, referring to a recent study that suggests there are four types of king cobras in India, commented:

“It’s now established as 4 different species in different ranges. Assuming this is in northern India, it’s Ophiophagus hannah. If it were from the Western Ghats, it’d be Ophiophagus kaalinga, based on the recent classification.”

Another follower observed: “The Most Mythical of Serpents. The One who Straddles Terrestrial Earth & Heavenly Divinity.The Companion to Lord Shiva. Worshipped & Feared in equal measure by Man.”

A man claiming to be a physician remarked, “We are not left with much to do when a patient is brought to us after it has bitten them.”

Another follower stated that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, directing his comment to Kaswan: “Sir, you call every snake a beauty, but for a common man, it’s scary.”

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Can you spot the rattlesnake testing its new hiding place?

The western diamondback rattlesnake had blended almost perfectly into its surroundings near a Tucson home.

–In May we featured an image from Arizona as part of a quiz challenging readers to spot a camouflaged rattlesnake. Below is a repost for those interested in testing their spotting skills.

An Arizona company that relocates rattlesnakes reported by concerned residents has been busy dealing with snakes flushed by rain from more remote hiding spots.

Rattlesnake Solutions shared the accompanying image showing one such reptile: a western diamondback rattlesnake hiding in a new and “less ideal” spot near a Tucson home.

Can you spot the rattlesnake in the accompanying image? (Answer at the bottom of this post.)

Rattlesnake in hiding. Photo courtesy of Rattlesnake Solutions

It’s a difficult quiz for many because only a small part of the snake is visible. Dozens of followers chimed in on the Rattlesnake Solutions Facebook post.

A sampling:

– “Nope. I’d be dead.”

– “Wow! Best camouflage ever.”

– Took me about 5 minutes, that’s crazy camo.”

– “That was tough. Excellent camouflage.”

– “I finally found it.”

Rattlesnake Solutions waited hours before sharing the answer in a separate post. Click here to view that image, showing the snake circled in red.

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Watch: ‘Monster’ alligator sweeps in to nab duck hunter’s prize

A Florida hunter has captured footage of a giant alligator devouring a duck that had just been shot.

A Florida hunter has captured footage of a giant alligator devouring a duck he or his partner had just shot.

“It’s not just fishing, Florida duck hunting has a tax man, too!” Cass Couey wrote on Facebook. (A sharper version of his video, posted below, was featured by Pro Hunt on Instagram.)

According to Nexstar, Couey was hunting with Kevin Stipe near Leesburg, in Central Florida, in late November, when the “monster” gator swept in for the easy meal.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIBHJ-elNLK/

In the Instagram footage, one of the hunters says, “Here we go, No. 2 of the day,” and later adds: “Alright, you’re fed, now get out of here.”

ALSO ON FTW OUTDOORS: ‘Wait for it!’ Watch as osprey pulls giant fish from inlet

The phrase “tax man” is often used by fishermen in reference to sharks that have ripped chunks of flesh from fish they had hooked.

At the time of this post, Couey had not responded to a request for more details.