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Terciopelo, I am told, is the most common viper in the mountains. A few weeks ago I zip lined up to a platform and there was a small terciopelo at face level climbing a vine right where I landed.
The Ticos attending to the zip line were understandably very nervous and had a quick debate as to whether to knock it off. They decided the fall might kill it so they let it continue its climb above our heads. I wonder if there would have a debate had the same incident happened in the States or whether the animal would have been killed on the spot without
Sprite, I’m not a snake expert, but from my experience as a tropical biologist and that picture, that doesn’t look like Bothrups asper (terciopelo) which is a lot less colorful than the snake you photographed; however, it does appear to be a poisonous snake due to the shape of its head (although I can’t be certain from the picture) and it was certainly an incredibly risky maneuver to allow a zip line group to remain right under it. You were in its environment and needed to leave that area as soon as possible more than having tried to kill it since that would have also posed a risk for your group — the snake might have easily lunged at your group. Vipers have even been known to bite once their heads have been cut off so you can imagine how that might not have been the course to take when your group was on a small platform so many feet off of the ground.
The responsible thing under the circumstances was for the group guides to remove your group from the risk this snake posed, but also note that many people can easily confuse a poisonous snake from a non-poisonous one and kill a natural inhabitant of the area you have voluntarily entered unnecessarily.
Under different circumstances (on the ground), terciopelo, is not protected and is actually shown to be a human and environmental problem so I would have certainly tried to capture it and taken it to Clodomiro Picado Institute or kill it instead of just letting it remain in the area and pose a very real threat to another person…and I think that would have been the choice of most Costa Ricans also…I’m glad you and your group were not harmed…
What part of the country were you in? I was told by local Ticos in Montezuma that they are fairly rare on the “northern” zone, but plentiful in Corcovadp. The only venemous snake we have seen in 4 years is one Bushmaster.
we were in the San Lorenzo area just south of Bajo Rodriguez. We remained on the platform only long enough for our small group to arrive and then move on to the next platform. The Ticos called the snake a terciopelo and the website I looked up later showed an image of this snake and it sure looked similar. In any case, it was poisonous as you pointed out, by the shape of its head.
Terciopelo, Fer de Lance or B. asper (see links with pics) has a fairly large distribution and not just in Costa Rica (see links and map which shows it throughout ALL of CR)…Nonetheless, that distribution has been enhanced and their populations have grown more than typical in the last few years because of the availability of prey (rodents & like) made available to them by chopping down areas of forest, working them for a while and then leaving them fallow or to re-generate (regenation is a great thing except in the interim these lots become “charrales”–overgrown), prey animals move in and the terciopelo comes in for the buffet.
However, there is another incredibly important reason why it has had a population explosion in many areas including Costa Rica and that’s because its natural predator a black snake called Zopilota (Clelia clelia) in CR is commonly killed by people. It’s bright red so they call it vibora de sangre (blood viper and it’s not even a viper, meaning poisonous) when young, but this snake can actually eat any snake that is actually poisonous so it’s incredibly important to support it in these environments. An encounter I had in CR with C. clelia almost gave me a heart attack because it was quite large and it managed to stand up and strike at the passenger side window where I was sitting, but I’m always grateful to see one–even if not necessarily that “up close and personal…” LOL…In any case, I’m not such a proponent of just killing any snake you see because they not only have an intrinsic right to exist, but the snake you kill could have been the one that would have directly or indirectly saved your life in the long run…Whenever possible, get out of their way, when that’s not a possibility, make sure you know the snake you’re killing is truly a poisonous one that poses a risk to you….Pura Vida…
Marvelous mussurana or Clelia clelia http://home.earthlink.net/~itec5/Serpentes/Colubridae/Clelia_clelia.html
http://www.dominical.biz/reptiles/SnakeRattleRoll2.htmBothrops asper, Fer de Lance or Terciopelo http://travel.mongabay.com/colombia/images/co02-0164.html
http://www.venomousreptiles.org/articles/133I would go to great lengths to avoid killing any animal, even a dangerous one. I once came across a snake on my Florida property too large to handle. I suspect it was a corn snake and they look similar to rattlesnakes. I dealt with it by simply scaring it away. I have no idea where it went. It may or may not have been poisonous. It may or may not have posed a threat elsewhere. I do not know. There is a good chance my small property in Costa Rica has poisonous snakes since it is surrounded by farmland. I am not sure how I will react when I come upon another viper. I have dogs and I have to consider their safety and mine as well. I just hate the idea of killing an animal for any reason at all.
Sprite, I think you’re the kind of person that will do well in that kind of environment because you will consider the options…When it comes to Terciopelo, they’re sometimes hard to see among the debris of vegetation on the ground so you do have to be careful. When you encounter one, they need to be killed or captured because they do pose such an incredible threat to people, livestock and pets. I’d rather be bitten by a coral snake than this one, although I frankly prefer neither would occur..I have had my fair share of encounter with vipers and I’m always saddened when one has to be killed, but the alternative of them hurting us is not so appealing either… 🙁
The wife and I are devout animal lovers and killing is avoided at all cost unless it were an imminent threat to your life, such as a cow moose with calf or grizzly bear with cubs, but most people with outdoors experience would not ever put themselves into this situation. Apex predators are the top of the chain and when they die off, the impact is a double whammy. There are so many examples of man introducing non-indegenous speices only to create an ultimate imbalnce…i.e the mongoose in Hawaii to control cane rats, but they prefer Nene’s and fowl instead.
My wife and I were looking at buying a home in CR. I have been many times and thought it would make the perfect vacation and later on, retirement place to live. However all the snake talk is starting to creep us out. We have a young child and the thought of him being struck by the likes of a FDL is scary. Is there a certain region of CR that is less prone the large numbers of venomous snakes? I know how to avoid snakes in the wild but reading about people seeing large quanties around their house is the problem. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!
I think I can safely say that your exposure to snakes will be less the higher in altitude you go. At 4,100 feet, we’ve seen one live and two dead snakes in the four and a half years we’ve been here. Once, out in the coffee, our neighbor’s son said he saw one. So maybe that makes it two and two.
I have only seen two live snakes while in CR. One was quite large, bright green crossing the road in Nosara. The other was a very thin snake, tan thin head in my surf board rack.
So if one was bitten by a fdl/viper what is the protocol in CR? Just go straight to a medical facility? Do most have anti venom?Thanks for the information. On the home page of this website under Costa Rica pictures there were a couple of the FDL with some information that went along with the pictures. That is where I started to read about people having problems with the snakes around their home. It is nice to know that everyone is not having the same issues. Thanks!
Just be aware there is a park above Ciudad Colon that is home to the Fer de Lance or terciepolo, so we are not immune in the Valle Central, but they do prefer brush and not lawns. They are an ambush snake by way of camoflage; it’s the way they hunt. Always hike with a walking stick in front of you scanning the trail when in [u]their[/u] known environment.
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