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Bothrops atrox, La Isla Escondida, Colombia What a day it was. Birds, frogs, endless moths and insects, a velvet worm and then another awesome break from mothing when our guide Manuel found this Fer-de-lance. It is considered the most dangerous viper of Colombia and surrounding countries for being both highly venomous and somewhat likely to live near human settlements.<br /> <br /> This is likely a juvenile, as it was really small. It was found on a log and just sat there, it made no defensive or offensive moves at all. It was in the exact same position the morning after. I really wanted a tongue out shot, so waited for that.<br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70810/bothrops_atrox_-_side_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html" title="Bothrops atrox - side view, La Isla Escondida, Colombia"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/70810_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=J%2BtfonuUYtiEOSSDY2f3W2cMtiY%3D" width="200" height="134" alt="Bothrops atrox - side view, La Isla Escondida, Colombia What a day it was. Birds, frogs, endless moths and insects, a velvet worm and then another awesome break from mothing when our guide Manuel found this Fer-de-lance. It is considered the most dangerous viper of Colombia and surrounding countries for being both highly venomous and somewhat likely to live near human settlements.<br /> <br /> This is likely a juvenile, as it was really small. It was found on a log and just sat there, it made no defensive or offensive moves at all. It was in the exact same position the morning after. I really wanted a tongue out shot, so waited for that.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70811/fer-de-lance_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70808/fer-de-lance_-_top_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70809/fer-de-lance_-_top_view_closeup_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html Bothrops atrox,Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Common Lancehead,Fall,Geotagged,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World" /></a></figure><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70808/bothrops_atrox_-_top_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html" title="Bothrops atrox - top view, La Isla Escondida, Colombia"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/70808_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=IHnShgktLjCth62OtBhD5CPJjTA%3D" width="200" height="178" alt="Bothrops atrox - top view, La Isla Escondida, Colombia What a day it was. Birds, frogs, endless moths and insects, a velvet worm and then another awesome break from mothing when our guide Manuel found this Fer-de-lance. It is considered the most dangerous viper of Colombia and surrounding countries for being both highly venomous and somewhat likely to live near human settlements.<br /> <br /> This is likely a juvenile, as it was really small. It was found on a log and just sat there, it made no defensive or offensive moves at all. It was in the exact same position the morning after. I really wanted a tongue out shot, so waited for that.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70810/fer-de-lance_-_side_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70811/fer-de-lance_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70809/fer-de-lance_-_top_view_closeup_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html Bothrops atrox,Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Common Lancehead,Fall,Geotagged,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World" /></a></figure><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70809/bothrops_atrox_-_top_view_closeup_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html" title="Bothrops atrox - top view closeup, La Isla Escondida, Colombia"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/70809_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=oVRzlJjvZlszhncV8aVgXHzw2os%3D" width="200" height="174" alt="Bothrops atrox - top view closeup, La Isla Escondida, Colombia What a day it was. Birds, frogs, endless moths and insects, a velvet worm and then another awesome break from mothing when our guide Manuel found this Fer-de-lance. It is considered the most dangerous viper of Colombia and surrounding countries for being both highly venomous and somewhat likely to live near human settlements.<br /> <br /> This is likely a juvenile, as it was really small. It was found on a log and just sat there, it made no defensive or offensive moves at all. It was in the exact same position the morning after. I really wanted a tongue out shot, so waited for that.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70810/fer-de-lance_-_side_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70811/fer-de-lance_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70808/fer-de-lance_-_top_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Common Lancehead,Fall,Geotagged,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World" /></a></figure> Bothrops atrox,Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Common Lancehead,Fall,Geotagged,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

Bothrops atrox, La Isla Escondida, Colombia

What a day it was. Birds, frogs, endless moths and insects, a velvet worm and then another awesome break from mothing when our guide Manuel found this Fer-de-lance. It is considered the most dangerous viper of Colombia and surrounding countries for being both highly venomous and somewhat likely to live near human settlements.

This is likely a juvenile, as it was really small. It was found on a log and just sat there, it made no defensive or offensive moves at all. It was in the exact same position the morning after. I really wanted a tongue out shot, so waited for that.

Bothrops atrox - side view, La Isla Escondida, Colombia What a day it was. Birds, frogs, endless moths and insects, a velvet worm and then another awesome break from mothing when our guide Manuel found this Fer-de-lance. It is considered the most dangerous viper of Colombia and surrounding countries for being both highly venomous and somewhat likely to live near human settlements.<br /> <br /> This is likely a juvenile, as it was really small. It was found on a log and just sat there, it made no defensive or offensive moves at all. It was in the exact same position the morning after. I really wanted a tongue out shot, so waited for that.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70811/fer-de-lance_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70808/fer-de-lance_-_top_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70809/fer-de-lance_-_top_view_closeup_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html Bothrops atrox,Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Common Lancehead,Fall,Geotagged,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World

Bothrops atrox - top view, La Isla Escondida, Colombia What a day it was. Birds, frogs, endless moths and insects, a velvet worm and then another awesome break from mothing when our guide Manuel found this Fer-de-lance. It is considered the most dangerous viper of Colombia and surrounding countries for being both highly venomous and somewhat likely to live near human settlements.<br /> <br /> This is likely a juvenile, as it was really small. It was found on a log and just sat there, it made no defensive or offensive moves at all. It was in the exact same position the morning after. I really wanted a tongue out shot, so waited for that.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70810/fer-de-lance_-_side_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70811/fer-de-lance_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70809/fer-de-lance_-_top_view_closeup_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html Bothrops atrox,Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Common Lancehead,Fall,Geotagged,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World

Bothrops atrox - top view closeup, La Isla Escondida, Colombia What a day it was. Birds, frogs, endless moths and insects, a velvet worm and then another awesome break from mothing when our guide Manuel found this Fer-de-lance. It is considered the most dangerous viper of Colombia and surrounding countries for being both highly venomous and somewhat likely to live near human settlements.<br /> <br /> This is likely a juvenile, as it was really small. It was found on a log and just sat there, it made no defensive or offensive moves at all. It was in the exact same position the morning after. I really wanted a tongue out shot, so waited for that.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70810/fer-de-lance_-_side_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70811/fer-de-lance_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/70808/fer-de-lance_-_top_view_la_isla_escondida_colombia.html Colombia,Colombia 2018,Colombia South,Common Lancehead,Fall,Geotagged,La Isla Escondida,Putumayo,South America,World

    comments (2)

  1. View Christine Young's profile
    Christine Young
    Lion
    View Lion class
    WOW! Awesome find! Have you seen photos of the tissue necrosis caused by their venom? It's so gnarly. I'm glad this snake wasn't feeling cranky because I've read they are quite irritable creatures...and, they can shoot their venom.

    I'm sure that gray blob on its face is just part of the snake, but at first glance, I thought it was an engorged tick.     Posted 6 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Yes I've seen photos of indigenous people "treating" a leg by binding it with a tight rope, which makes it worse even. And last year we saw a woman who was bitten in her foot at young age, she was basically dragging her foot, it seemed to have lost any muscle function.

      This surely is not a snake to mess with, you can't overstate how lethal it is, but people do seem to overstate its aggressive behavior based on my limited experience.       Posted 6 years ago

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The Common Lancehead

"Bothrops atrox" — also known as the common lancehead, "fer-de-lance", "barba amarilla" and "mapepire balsain" — is a highly venomous pit viper species found in the tropical lowlands of northern South America east of the Andes. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Info 12 0
Similar species: Snakes And Lizards
Species identified by Ferdy Christant
View Ferdy Christant's profile

By Ferdy Christant

All rights reserved
Uploaded Dec 13, 2018. Captured Oct 18, 2018 21:36 in Orito, Putumayo, Colombia.
country flag of Colombia Explore Colombia 8,334 2,805 0
  • NIKON D850
  • f/20.0
  • 1/60s
  • ISO64
  • 105mm
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Captured in the fall. More fall photos.

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