Venomous Snakes

[Sanju]

Photo @tbfrost | This is the black mamba of the Amazon, only it is *not* venomous. This deep red-colored snake is the rusty whip snake (Chironius exoletus), considered a warrior of the rainforest by herpetologists for its speed, agility, and boldness. Scientists tell me they almost always find this particular species with scars or fresh wounds, a testament to battles it has endured. Thing is, this snake, as with all snakes, doesn’t have an interest in hurting humans , which is evident here as it is resting calmly in the hands of Lucas M. Bustamante, a scientist and photographer with Ecuadorian nonprofit @tropicalherping. This snake was caught as part of an ongoing, and fully permitted, scientific project. If you see a snake, leave it alone; it's better for you and the snake. Reply