Costa Rican

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Costa Rican Snakes

Aldo and Raquel
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Snakes are unique creatures in that their bodies
allow them to get into the cracks and crevices of
the world that most other creatures cannot.
Lacking rigid skeletons and
extremities, snakes can contort their bodies in
order to get into tiny holes, wrap around tree
branches and slither over otherwise unmanageable
rocks.

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Three-year-old Cambodian boy Oeun Sambat hugs his
best friend, a four meter long female python in
the village of Sit Tbow, May 18, 2003.
REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
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In Costa Rica, snakes make up almost half of all
the reptile species in the country. There are
133 to 136 species of snakes, and only 17 are
known to be venomous. These 17 species of
venomous snakes are the only ones that are known
to be clinically important throughout the Costa
Rica region.

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The two different families
The two different families of venomous snakes
found in Costa Rica region are the coral snake
family (Elapidae), and the pit-viper family
(Crotalidae)

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Costa Ricas Four Coral Snakes
Allens coral snake (Micrurus alleni), Central
American coral snake (Micrurus nigrocinctus), Bico
lored coral snake (Micrurus multifasciatus),
Clarks coral snake (Micrurus clarki).

• Brave or idiot? Holding a Central American
• coral snake (Micrurus nigrocinctus)

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Watch your step Coral Crossing

These snakes have small heads and blunt tails
which allow them to maneuver easily around the
leaf litter and rocky regions. The Corals venom
is stimulated by its victims blood, causing the
venom to travel through the neuro-system
attacking the brain.
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Pit-viper family (Crotalidae)
The two most abundant species are the eyelash
palm-pit viper (Bothriechis shclegelii), and the
Fer de lance (Bothrops asper).

Another fairly common species include the
hognosed pitviper, which we spotted while hiking
through Selva Verde.
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Fer-de-Lance
The fer-de-lance is one of the worlds most
venomous snakes and we saw a juvenile on our
night hike at Selva Verde
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The Velvet snake

The fer-de-lanceis also known as the lancehead,
and terciopelo Spanish for "velvet" by Costa
Ricans and can reach lengths up to 3 meters. Its
body color varies, with olive green, gray, tan,
brown or rust blotches which are usually
separated by light edging. It can be found in
overgrown fields and river courses in drier
lowland regions, as well as mountainous,
deciduous wet forests. It is often found near
human cultivation as well. It is generally a
nocturnal snake, however if stepped on or
encountered during the day, they are quick to
strike.
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Amputation of the bitten limb
As juveniles, the fer-de-lance is an arboreal
snake that feed on lizards and frogs, which they
attract with a yellow-tipped tail. As adults they
come down and rest in loose leave litter on the
forest floor. Unlike other vipers, the
fer-de-lance will bite with little provocation.

The snake's powerful venom dissolves nerve tissue
and destroys blood cells and artery walls those
fortunate enough to survive may suffer paralysis
or tissue damage so massive as to require
amputation of the bitten limb.
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Make way for the Kingsnake
This non venomous (Lampropeltis Triangulum) snake
is not very common. They are on the brink of
extinction.

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Snake Eating Snake
The kingsnake eats mammals, birds, reptiles and
also eats other snakes. including coral snake.
Many are surprised to learn that snakes feed off
of other snakes, in particular, the non venomous
snakes eating venomous snakes. Another example
of this is the Mussurana or Clelia clelia, this
non venomous snake is a good biological control
agent. The Mussurana eats the fer-de-lance,
as well as other snakes except the coral,
because their venom is too Strong for it to
handle. The Mussurana juvenile are born with
the colors of the coral that way they are not
eaten.

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B O A

Boas are extremely important ecologically .
Their life span is 25 to 30 years.
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They grow to 4.5 meters, and are the largest of
the non venomous snake.They kill by
strangulation and their favorite foods include
chickens, rabbits, rats, birds and even
dogs.They are semi-arboretums living in trees
and on the ground.They give birth to live
offspring

Boas are killed and trapped for the ever
increasing Pet Trade and are becoming rare.
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Pet Trade

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The drawbacks to the Pet Trade
The buying and selling of exotic pets is a huge
business. However, there are drawbacks to the Pet
Trade. Among these drawbacks are the illegal
HUNTING practices used to obtain some species and
the damage done to ecosystems when animals are
removed from an area.

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At the Heart of the Issue Protecting Endangered
Wildlife
Endangered species are declining in record
numbers as their habitat is destroyed and they
are commercially exploited. To combat excessive
exploitation, many countries have joined the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The
purchasing power of consumers and the growing
sophistication of modern commercial
transportation routes make endangered wildlife
products easily available. As an international
traveler, help save species by avoiding souvenirs
made from endangered animals and plants.

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The Un-entertained Species

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The importation and exportation of certain
reptile skins is a very extensive, yet illicit
industry

Snake skin dress 1,000
Python skin blazer 1,200
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Snake skin wallet 300
The illegal skins trade in Mexico represents
millions of dollars annually on the black
market.

The problem with reptile skins is one that is
quickly becoming an epidemic. Reptiles are
traded both dead and alive. The live creatures
are usually killed, then utilized as medicine or
eaten as a delicacy in regions such as Eastern
Asia.
Rattlesnake belt 600
Snake skin boots 400
The reptile skins are valuable as purses, shoes,
and other leather products in the United States
or other Western nations.
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Snake in its natural environment

Priceless
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Ethics
What do you think can be done to educate people
about snakes?
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How can we ensure that snakes will not be used
for commerce?
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Why do you think people have such an appetite for
live wild animals and for the skin and meat of
dead ones?

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Works cited

http//market.kingsnake.com/index.php?cat8 http/
/www.kingsnake.com/absolutereptiles/ http//www.vi
vidreptiles.com/pages/nirvana6.html http//newton.
dep.anl.gov/askasci/zoo00/zoo00024.htm http//www.
venomousreptiles.org/libraries/Viperinae20Photos
http//www.hsus.org/ace/12045 The Humane
Society http//www.le.fws.gov/BuyerBeware.htm
The Fish and Wildlife Service. http//jrscience.wc
p.muohio.edu/fieldcourses01/TropEcoCostaRicaArticl
es/NEWFINAL.VenomousSnakesFo.html Amphibians and
Reptiles of Costa Rica by Jay M. Savage. The
University of Chicago Press , 2002 Costa Rica
Field Guide to Reptiles.Rrainforest Publications
1999