 |
 |
|
|
|
|
29. Snakes — Did you know that Costa Rica is home to some of the world’s deadliest snakes? Makes you want to go there doesn’t it?! The venom of the fer-de-lance makes it the deadliest snake of Central and South America. The bushmaster is often called matabuey or “ox-killer” in Costa Rica and at 10 feet is the largest pit viper in the world. While that sounds intimidating, snakes are reclusive and very few ever bite people, while readily available anti-venom makes deadly bites even rarer. Frogs are the preferred meal for most snakes and since 1989 when Costa Rica’s famed golden toad suddenly went extinct, scientists have been concerned about plummeting frog populations and the effect it will have on other species such as snakes that count on them for survival. Experts suspect climate change and pesticides may have caused their disapperance. Once again pointing out the devastating affect losing one species has on others.
|
|
