Animals
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Snakes
The majority of the snakes are small and harmless. Many live in the trees where they live on a diet of small lizards and birds. Because they live high in the trees they are rarely (if ever) seen by man, and pose no threat. Some tree-living snakes are very colorful and hide among flowers in the rainforest canopy. Other tree-living snakes camouflage themselves to look like vines – waiting for birds and other prey to approach. However, the most dangerous species of snakes (for humans) live on the ground. Two species are very dangerous – the bushmaster and the fer de lance. Neither of these snakes are particularly common in the rainforest, but they do exist and it pays to watch out for them. In untouched rainforest there is about one such snake per square mile, but they are much less likely to found in areas where humans trample regularly. Those most in danger from snakes are agricultural workers, who sometimes encounter snakes when planting fields or in old sheds and barns. Snakes are attracted to these areas because of rodents, chickens, and other animals which they eat as food. The fer-de-lance, or jararaca, is related to the rattlesnake – though it doesn't have a rattle. It is olive green or brown, with dark splotches, and is usually 120 to 150 centimetres (4 to 5 ft) long. The name fer-de-lance was given to it by French settlers as a result of its lance-shaped head. It is found in an area ranging from Mexico to Argentina, including several islands in the Caribbean. A story says that it was also introduced onto the island of Martinique during wars with against the Indians there. This snake is highly adaptable, and can survive in a variety of environments. They are born in very large litters, and even the baby snakes are dangerous. Fer de lances are most active at night. They keep close to the nest during the day, but leave the nest at night to go hunting for small mammals and other animals. Nightime is when people walking rainforest trails need to be the most careful – a torch is essential equipment. Fer de lances also have a reputation for lying in paths and roadways at night, and are possibly attracted to the heat retained by tarseal and stonework just after the sun has set The bushmaster is rarer than the fer-de-lance, but even more feared. It reaches 3.6 metres (12 ft) long – which is an enomous size for a poisonous snake. The snake's fangs are 2.5 cm (1 inch) long, which enable it to inflict a nasty bite. It can be identfied by its great size, and its coloration – olive green with a yellow and black zig-zag pattern along its back. The bushmaster is found in tropical regions all over South America, and frequently strays outside of forests. It feeds on rodents, lizards, and small mammals. But it has a reputation for being agressive, and will strike at anything passing close to it – including humans. Untreated wounds can be fatal. If the venom doesn't directly kill its victims, other complications such as gangrene can. The fer-de-lance and bushmaster are both pit vipers, which puts them into the same category as many North American snakes such as the rattlesnake (although the rattlesnake is found as far south as Brazil). Pit vipers have an indentation (ie a "pit") on each side of its head, between the nostril and the eye. These pits contain heat sensors which enable the snake to detect the position of its prey – even in the dark. Snakes are also reliant on their sense of smell. Smells are collected on their tongue and analysed with a special sensing organ on the inside their mouth. A popular tourist attraction in Brazil is the Butanta snake farm, outside Sπo Paulo. The Butanta Institute is world famous for making serums for snake and spider bites. Many South American explorers have chosen to visit the institute to learn about snakes and purchase serum before setting off on journeys into remote areas. |
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There are several species of snakes in the rivers and rainforests of South
America. Of these, the