Costa Rican Trio of Terror

bzukowsk
Jan 29, 2021
4 min read

Of 139 snake species in Costa Rica, only 22 are venomous. And of those 22, I learned of 3 especially infamous serpents during my time living there:

The Bushmaster – La Matabuey

You may, perhaps, know its English name from my Appalachian Trail name – link here. It is a silly story of when youthful wonder meets mortal terror.

Costa Rica’s most potent viper is also Central America’s largest. The 12 foot viper is now a rare sighting, since the snake prefers mature rainforest and is relatively shy. But the snake’s Spanish name, matabuey, derives from interactions with the country’s ranchers. Buey, or cattle, are now raised throughout the Americas, despite not being native to its continents. Cattle came with the Spanish (as well as their language) during their colonial expansion. Buey went out to pasture and met this snake, where the Bushmaster earned the reputation of mata, or killer. Mata buey, the cattle killer, is capable of killing a full grown steer with a single bite. This bite can apparently kill within the same hour. Even with modern medicine, mortality is high – for cows or humans – when the matabuey strikes.

Fer-de-Lance – El Equis “X” – Terciopelo – Barba Amarillo – Nahuai Yactl

Perhaps the most infamous snake from tropic of cancer to the equator, the Fer-de-Lance is known for its ornery temperament and defensive nature. The Fer-de-Lance can dwell deep in the forest, like its Bushmaster cousin, but is also willing to live closer to humanity. Therefore, its aggression and proximity cause the majority of snake bites in Central America. And it’s not just any bite. The Fer-de-Lance packs each bite with a deadly dose of multi-purpose venom. The venom first begins to pre-digest the tissue of its target. On a smaller animal, this process will enable the snake to digest its prey after swallowing it whole. On a human, it just begins the decomposition process. Meanwhile, venom courses through the bloodstream – causing the victim to bleed profusely. The victim loses its ability to regulate blood pressure – destroying critical organs, like the brain and heart, as well as losing blood through the puncture wound. Even if a human happens to get the antivenom that enables blood to coagulate, saving their life temporarily, the terror has only just begun. An untreated puncture wound will fester. The spread of decomposition is horrifying. Gangrene, tissue death by lack of blood supply, occurs liberally. There are some horrific pictures (if you want to brave the Google search) of rotting limbs within a week or two of a Fer-de-Lance bite.

With this reputation – the snake is known by many names. Its English name – Fer-de-Lance, is also French (or Creole) for lance head. Some say the name derives for its formidable diamond head and potent bite, others say that its black splotches are shaped like spearheads. My personal favorite – shared by a Costa Rican tribal member, is the Equis – the X. Again, the ominous name refers to its checkered pattern, or the deadly accuracy and maiming ability. The Mexican name derives from Nauhtl – the nahuai yactl, or four noses. Barba Amarillo, yellow beard, as the snake is known in the Caribbean. And most commonly across Latin America, el terciopelo, the velvet.

Jumping Pitviper – Mano Piedra

Spoiler alert - this snake doesn’t jump. I only recently learned the English name. I have only called it by the Spanish nickname, Mano Piedra, or the Rock Hand. As its title suggests, the bite is capable of paralyzing a normal hand. Permanently. Workers have historically worked in crops like sugarcane, using a machete to reap the harvests. These pitvipers often curled up in the stalks. When a worker disturbed them at close range, they struck. Many workers found that their hand never quite regained full function. And while it doesn’t strike with the tissue dissolving venom of a terciopelo, the Mano piedra, developed its fearsome reputation all the same.

Fun Fact: All North American rattlesnakes are also pit vipers! The pit viper family possess a superpower 6th sense – in the form of two heat-sensing pits (termed, fossa) near their nose. They can accurately strike their target, by using infrared body heat, even when deprived of sight and sound! The rattlesnake genus also shares morphological characteristics of a diamond-shaped head, as well as long-hinged fangs and interior muscle that helps to inject venom. Fortunately, no rattlesnake bite is as potent as these fearsome three above – but one should always still visit a doctor if bit. Their rattle is composed of keratin segments that fit loosely together. When the snake holds its tail erect and vibrates the rattle, these segments knock against each other to produce their trademark noise.

Safely observed, these snakes are pretty amazing creatures – just keep your distance!