A photo by photographer Woody Tu shows a green pit viper gobbling up a brown tree frog in a tropical forest in Taiwan.
A never-before-seen photograph
In a tropical forest in Taiwan, photographer Woody Tu immortalized a unique moment. Indeed, he found himself faced with a scene featuring a green-dimpled viper engulfing a brown tree frog, which is visibly taking its last breath. This species of frog is known for its ability to camouflage itself in its environment and for its agility.
This photo, although it has a sad tone, is preselected in the Animals category for the Close-up Photographer of the Year 2024 competition. Woody Tu will have to wait until the start of the new year, to find out if the jury, composed of 25 judges, considers that his photo is one of the 100 best photos of this year.
The green pit viper, a formidable predator
The green pit viper, as its name suggests, has green colored scales. This species, which is found mainly in the tropical forests of East Asia, particularly in China, is a venomous snake, meaning that it has a liquid (venom), which will used to defend itself or to immobilize its prey, and sometimes to kill them. It is certainly by this means that the latter managed to trap the frog.
This species, although it is an outstanding predator, is classified as endangered on the IUCN red list, according to the site Aquatis. The main threat of green pit vipers is their blood, which is highly prized due to its aphrodisiac properties.
How to recognize vipers, snakes present in France?
You may have already encountered a viper in your life without knowing that it is this species of venomous snake. It must be said that these are snakes that can be found almost everywhere in France, such as in Burgundy or the Midi-Pyrénées. The most abundant species in the country is the asp viper. There is also the Séoane viper, present mainly in the southwest, or the Orsini viper, present in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
You should know that vipers resemble another species of snakes, grass snakes. But then, how to recognize them? Vipers have vertically slit pupils, while snakes have round pupils. They are also smaller in size and have a zigzag back. Finally, in terms of their morphology, vipers have a wider head and a shorter body.
Source: Livescience
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