Bushmaster

Bushmaster, common name for the largest South American venomous snake, known to attain lengths of over 3 m (10 ft). This viper occurs in tropical forests from Nicaragua in Central America to just north of the Amazon basin in Brazil. It is the only pit viper of the Americas known to lay eggs, producing clutches of 10 to 12 eggs, which it is reputed to guard. It varies from yellow to grey-brown in colour and is patterned with regular dark diamond-shaped blotches along its back. A characteristic dark stripe runs from the eye to the angle of the jaw. The scales are heavily keeled, giving the snake a coarse appearance. The Bushmaster lives on land and is active at night when it preys upon small mammals. It lies in wait for its quarry, camouflaged by its cryptic markings in the dense forest foliage.

Its reputation as an aggressive snake is unwarranted; in reality it is a shy and secretive reptile. Its venom is not especially potent (in small doses) and human beings are rarely bitten, but its long fangs produce a deep, penetrating bite, and large volumes of venom are injected. Bites may therefore prove fatal if left untreated.

Scientific Classification: Bushmasters belong to their own genus Lachesis within the family Viperidae. The only species is Lachesis muta.