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Chris Jenkins, the Executive Director of The Orianne Society, is headed off to Costa Rica to look for various reptile and amphibian species, including rare and elusive bushmasters (Lachesis)! Upon his return, Chris will post about his adventures and share some photos of beautiful Costa Rica and its reptile and amphibian species – so stay tuned!
Five Facts About Bushmasters:
- Unlike the majority of other pit vipers, bushmasters lay eggs rather than giving birth to live young.
- Bushmasters are the largest venomous snakes in the New World.
- Bushmasters inhabit areas of pristine tropical rainforests, the destruction of which is contributing to the species decline.
- The genus name Lachesis is derived from one of the Three Fates in Greek mythology, the one that measured the thread of a man’s destiny.
- Though not scientifically proven, it is widely believed that bushmasters are capable of emitting a shrill whistle.