Untamed Central America...

I've just returned from another filming trip to central America for Nigel Marven Productions, my third this year - I am truly fortunate. The first 10 days were spent in Costa Rica finishing scenes there (see previous  posts), followed by 18 days filming in Guatemala - a completely new country for me! Both will form independent stand alone programmes on their respective countries (Wild Costa Rica and Wild Guatemala) as well as a combined 'Untamed Central America' programme for National Geographic. I’ll try and cover both over the coming series of posts.

Costa Rica 

7-17 September, 2019

Tapirus Lodge 7-9 Sep

We visited Tapirus back in June and I was more than happy to return here to finish filming around the Lodge. It's definitely one of my favourite places in the country, everyone is so friendly, you feel like you're coming home. Prior to our arrival heavy rain had swept through the area that day and produced perfect conditions for herping. So-much-so that the first evening (when I should have been resting) turned out to be one of the busiest nights of the trip for reptiles and amphibians and I didn't get to bed as early as I'd planned.

My accommodation for the first few days
in Costa Rica, the beautiful Tapirus Lodge

Velvet Ant sp. They can have a very painful sting!

We arrived late in the day and after dinner immediately found this beautiful Ringed Glasstail Pliocercus euryzonus. This fascinating and attractive snake is part of a small family that can shed their tails (like most lizards). The discarded tail continues to wriggle to distract predators and allow the animal to escape. This individual was just over 2 ft long.

Ringed Glasstail, Pliocercus euryzonus, Tapirus Lodge.

Ringed Glasstail, Pliocercus euryzonus, Tapirus Lodge.

Red-eyed Treefrog, Agalychnis callidryas, Tapirus Lodge.

Red-eyed Treefrog, Agalychnis callidryas, Tapirus Lodge.

Masked Treefrog, Smilisca phaeota, Tapirus Lodge.

These pretty little Brilliant Forest Frogs, Rana warszewitschii were very common around the lodge. Easily identified by their metallic green (or blue) spotting on the dorsal surface.

Brilliant Forest Frog, Rana warszewitschii, Tapirus Lodge

Once we'd had our fill of frogs and the Glasstail, Mike headed back to the accommodations only to almost tread on a juvenile Terciopelo, Bothrops asper, which was curled up in the middle of the path in the dark!  Terciopelo (often called Fer-de-lance) are the most venomous and dangerous snakes in Central America. Their bite can be (and often is) fatal if left untreated and the hemotoxic venom has terrible necrotic and hemorrhagic effects (Google victim photos if you dare!).  Like most snakes, they are just waiting for a meal to come along. Juveniles will often use their tails (caudal luring) to attract lizards, frogs and small mammals withing range of a strike. This one was in a very dangerous position for anyone walking unaware in the dark so I carefully moved it off into the undergrowth. We ended up seeing two more on this evening, including a larger 1.5 m individual by the restaurant.

Terciopelo, Bothrops asper

Next to be found was this smart little Lichen-coloured (or Mottled) Snaileater, Sibon longefrenis - one of two similar species found at Tapirus. This common snake has dark eyes whilst the very similar Costa Rican Snaileater (limari) has clay-coloured eyes.

Sibon longefrenis, Tapirus Lodge

Sibon longefrenis, Tapirus Lodge

Sibon longefrenis, Tapirus Lodge

With the excitement dying down we finally all went off to our rooms. Next morning I got up early to get a little birding in with our guide, Marvin, before breakfast but no sooner had I stepped outside my room, than I found a 1 m long male Terciopelo right by the path - this is partly why this species is so dangerous.  Not only do they have extremely potent venom but they are abundant, stay close to human habitation and don't move off easily when disturbed (relying their camouflage). Danger aside, they are beautiful snakes and I signalled for Marvin to come and have a look - just look at those markings and chestnut brown colour.

Marvin, eyeing up the problem. If someone drifted
off the path, they could be in BIG trouble.

Terciopelo, Bothrops asper, Tapirus Lodge

A foot from the path, too dangerous to leave here.

Terciopelo, male, Tapirus Lodge

Females are longer, fatter and have darker sides to the head - this
is definitely a slimmer male.

This photo clearly shows why the family
are called 'lance heads'. The wider rear to the
head are the venom glands.

Again, I took a stick and gently moved it off the path and away from potential problems. It was quite feisty though and turned to stand its ground before eventually moving away into the undergrowth.

The day had only just begun and already looked set to be a good one.