Deadly Venomous Viper | National Geographic

flourishing and remote forests as well

flourishing and remote forests as well as nearby plantations and too often it

as nearby plantations and too often it

as nearby plantations and too often it comes in contact with us

when surprised it often chooses fight

when surprised it often chooses fight over flight the white lift green pit

over flight the white lift green pit

over flight the white lift green pit viper it’s found throughout Southeast

viper it’s found throughout Southeast

viper it’s found throughout Southeast Asia but across the islands of Indonesia

Asia but across the islands of Indonesia

Asia but across the islands of Indonesia this one small snake causes up to 50% of

this one small snake causes up to 50% of

this one small snake causes up to 50% of all venomous bites human fatalities are

all venomous bites human fatalities are

all venomous bites human fatalities are rare but birds small frogs and rodents

rare but birds small frogs and rodents

rare but birds small frogs and rodents may not be so lucky ones hidden the

may not be so lucky ones hidden the

may not be so lucky ones hidden the green pit uses a combination of tools to

green pit uses a combination of tools to

green pit uses a combination of tools to hunt

first the snake uses its tongue like a

first the snake uses its tongue like a nose to track its prey sticking it into

nose to track its prey sticking it into

nose to track its prey sticking it into the air to pick up scent molecules it’s

the air to pick up scent molecules it’s

the air to pick up scent molecules it’s to fork tips deposit the molecules into

to fork tips deposit the molecules into

to fork tips deposit the molecules into the Jacobson’s organ located on the roof

the Jacobson’s organ located on the roof

the Jacobson’s organ located on the roof its mouth this organ tells the brain if

its mouth this organ tells the brain if

its mouth this organ tells the brain if these scents are from a potential meal

once locked onto a scent the ambush

once locked onto a scent the ambush hunter settles into place and waits

hunter settles into place and waits

hunter settles into place and waits hanging motionless coiled in a

hanging motionless coiled in a

hanging motionless coiled in a characteristic S shape ready to pounce

characteristic S shape ready to pounce

characteristic S shape ready to pounce as a prey approaches the pit viper

as a prey approaches the pit viper

as a prey approaches the pit viper employs its most remarkable trait its

employs its most remarkable trait its

employs its most remarkable trait its pits

pits

pits these pit shaped organs contain

these pit shaped organs contain

these pit shaped organs contain membranes that sense the heat given off

membranes that sense the heat given off

membranes that sense the heat given off by warm-blooded prey

by warm-blooded prey

by warm-blooded prey the snake processes the information with

the snake processes the information with

the snake processes the information with the same part of its brain as it uses

the same part of its brain as it uses

the same part of its brain as it uses for vision resulting in a thermal image

for vision resulting in a thermal image

for vision resulting in a thermal image superimposed up to the visual one this

superimposed up to the visual one this

superimposed up to the visual one this enables the pit viper to hone in on its

enables the pit viper to hone in on its

enables the pit viper to hone in on its target with pinpoint accuracy hinged

target with pinpoint accuracy hinged

target with pinpoint accuracy hinged fangs rest against the roof of the mouth

fangs rest against the roof of the mouth

fangs rest against the roof of the mouth ready to pop open like a switchblade for

ready to pop open like a switchblade for

ready to pop open like a switchblade for the strike

they pierce deep into the mouse

they pierce deep into the mouse delivering a hemo toxin that begins

delivering a hemo toxin that begins

delivering a hemo toxin that begins working immediately breaking down and

working immediately breaking down and

working immediately breaking down and destroying blood vessels and causing

destroying blood vessels and causing

destroying blood vessels and causing massive internal bleeding

once the toxin takes effect the green

once the toxin takes effect the green pit uses its fangs to walk the prey into

pit uses its fangs to walk the prey into

pit uses its fangs to walk the prey into its mouth headfirst and hole