Description
Although I was worried about getting bitten by the many venomous snakes in Costa Rica, it didn't stop me from going on many night hikes in the woods. This eyelash viper was mesmerizing and I couldn't help but stop and take photos.
The eyelash viper is named for the bristly scales above its eyes, they look like eyelashes! It is one of the smallest venomous snakes in Central America (measuring only up to 2.5 feet) and has a wide range of colors, including red, bright yellow, brown, green, and pink, as well as various combinations.
Eyelash vipers are solitary and nocturnal creatures. They are arboreal and like to stay in dense vegetation making them hard to spot. Eyelash vipers have one of the fastest strikes in the world and can kill a human with their venom.
Central American Eyelash-Viper (Bothriechis nigroadspersus)
Boca Tapada, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica