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west valley reptiles :: Article Creator

A Biologist Spotlights The Most Dangerous American Reptile (Hint: It's Not A Rattlesnake)

There are many dangerous reptiles in North, South and Central America. Here's why the dreaded ... [+] fer-de-lance reigns supreme.

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Lists of the most dangerous animals are always subjective, as there is no clear answer to what constitutes "most dangerous." Should it be judged on the basis of how many human fatalities an animal causes? Or the potency of an animal's toxins? Or the fear factor evoked by the animal?

Setting these issues aside, the one American reptile species that jumps to mind as the "most dangerous"—at least in the eyes of this herpetologist—is the fer-de-lance snake of Central and South America. Here's why the fer-de-lance gets my vote as the most dangerous American reptile, along with two other top contenders.

The Fearsome Fer-De-Lance

The fer-de-lance, picture here, along with its close cousins, are responsible for more human deaths ... [+] in the Americas than any other venemous snake group.

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The name "fer-de-lance" is actually a common name applied to several different species of lancehead pit vipers in the genus Bothrops. Together, two closely-related species cause the most human fatalities in the Americas—the common lancehead (Bothrops atrox) of South America and the terciopelo or barba amarilla (Bothrops asper) of Central and northern South America.

Each year, these two species are responsible for thousands of human bites and hundreds of deaths. Precise snakebite statistics are difficult to come by, as many bites occur in remote or rural areas and are unreported.

I've conducted extensive fieldwork in Central America and seen this reptile in action first-hand. Just about every indigenous person in certain regions of Central America knows someone, or knows someone who knows someone, who has been killed or debilitated by the strike of a fer-de-lance. These snakes command respect, reverence and fear.

Fer-de-lances have venom that destroys tissue, and their bites cause severe local symptoms like swelling, blisters, bleeding, and tissue death, often leading to infections and amputations. More serious bites can cause widespread issues in the body, such as excessive bleeding, blood clotting problems, cardiovascular shock, and acute kidney damage.

Although the mortality rate is low for patients who receive antivenom, if left untreated, severe bites are often fatal. Here are three reasons why the fer-de-lance is so terrifying, even to professional field biologists.

  • They are big, yet cryptic. Fer-de-lances can grow up to eight feet long and boast a thick, meaty body. Due to their large size, they can deliver an extremely high venom quantity in a bite (up to 2 teaspoons). However, they are also exceptionally well-camouflaged. An eight foot fer-de-lance can easily curl up to smaller than the size of a dinner plate. Many people bitten by these large predators don't even register that they were in the presence of the snake until after the bite.
  • They are prolific. Unlike many other venomous snakes which are rare to ever come across in nature, fer-de-lances are widespread and common throughout Central and South America. Female fer-de-lances can give birth to up to 80+ babies at a time (not to mention that venom from a young fer-de-lance is often more potent than venom from a full-grown fer-de-lance). Furthermore, unlike many snakes that are reliant on pristine habitat conditions, fer-de-lances adapt well to disturbed environments such as agricultural areas. Thus, they are common around human settlements, which is why they cause so many bites.
  • They are simultaneously furtive and defensive. Fer-de-lances are nocturnal animals and tend to sleep in well-hidden areas during the day. Because they are ambush predators, they lie motionless for extended periods of time until a meal passes by (or, in the unfortunately instance, a human steps on it). Moreover, it is hard-wired into these snakes' personalities to defend themselves rather than retreat when threatened. Defensive strikes are common once manipulated or provoked.
    • Two Honorable Mentions For America's Most Dangerous Reptile

    Extraction of venom from a neotropical rattlesnake in Brazil, which are known for their deadly ... [+] neurotoxic and myotoxic venoms.

    getty

    1. Neotropical rattlesnake. Neotropical rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus species complex) range from Mexico to South America, and are the only rattlesnake found in southern Latin America. In contrast to the fer-de-lance, they prefer drier conditions, and are common in savanna and dry forest habitats. They are known for their potent neurotoxic and myotoxic venom, which can cause paralysis and severe muscle damage. Although they contribute to far fewer bites than fer-de-lances, envenomations from neotropical rattlesnakes present the highest rates of lethality in the region, around 0.7% (compared to 0.3% in fer-de-lances). In Brazil alone, they bite approximately 2,000 people each year.

    Bushmasters, pictured here, are the longest venomous snake in the Americas. Although rarely ... [+] encountered by humans, their bites can be severe due to their exceptionally high venom yields.

    getty

    2. Bushmaster. Bushmasters (genus Lachesis) inhabit tropical rainforests in Central and South America. Growing over 10 feet long, they are the longest venomous snake the Americas, and the longest viper in the world. Known for their size and large venom yields, a bushmaster bite can cause severe tissue damage and systemic effects, including "vagal symptomatology" (heavy sweating, nausea, low blood pressure, slow heart rate, and loss of consciousness), an iconic syndrome of their bite. Their rarity, elusive nature and preference for remote and pristine habitats reduce human encounters, but bites are often severe and require urgent medical care. In the Brazilian Amazon, they account for approximately 30% of snakebite fatalities. Their venom, known for its high lethality due to large yields, leads villagers to regard them as the most venomous local snake species.


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    Two-foot Python Dubbed 'Sir Hiss' Spotted At Diamond District Store — Third Snake Found In NYC This Week: Cops

    It was a diamondback wannabe!

    A python was spotted slithering around a store in the heart of the Big Apple's Diamond District Friday — just two days after another snake was found on the Upper West Side.

    The approximately two-foot long reptile was discovered inside Fantasy Diamonds at the corner of West 47th Street and Sixth Avenue — steps from the buzzing Rockefeller Center subway station, police said. 

    "Sir Hiss" the python was spotted slithering inside Fantasy Diamonds around 2 p.M. Friday. NY ACC

    Someone called 911 and the python was removed to the city's Animal Care Center, where it was dubbed "Sir Hiss" and sent to a foster home. 

    Police said it's unclear how the brown-and-gold patterned snake ended up in the shop, and that the investigation is ongoing. 

    A store worker declined to comment when reached by The Post. 

    The slithering find came a day after a 5-foot-long snake was spotted trying to get inside an apartment on West 87th Street near Columbus Avenue Wednesday morning. 

    The 2-foot-long snake was taken to the city's Animal Care Center. NY ACC

    Resident Sam Sullivan saw the boa constrictor creep along an exterior gate near his basement apartment around 8 a.M.

    The NYPD's Emergency Service Unit converged on the scene and grabbed the reptile, delicately placing it in a polka-dot-colored pillowcase, according to footage the NYPD released. 

    Police then handed the snake over to the Animal Care Centers of NYC, and it was placed with a foster guardian outside of the Big Apple.

    It's unclear how the python ended up inside the store, steps from buzzing subway station. NY ACC

    The origin of that snake and how it ended up on the city streets was also unclear. 

    And last Saturday, a New Yorker crashed a rented U-Haul van when he found a live 3.5-foot white snake under his seat while transporting a couch with his roommate. 





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