We finally found a "friend"

Simple hikes have turned into zoological expeditions. Mammalian brain, deciphering the world and the complex landscapes, hope to see anything that moves; our eyes are continuously darting, ever vigilant, ever ready. With snakes, primates, cats, birds, insects, spiders, and mushrooms on the forefront of our minds, both tree tops and forest bottoms need to be observed simultaneously. If only there existed a way for me to both watch my footing and search the trees and terrain for beautiful creatures, I would be an optimized unstoppable force. Perhaps science will develop a technique which will implant additional eyes and alter neurological functions to allow multiple optical surveillance, Hurry up already! I only have another eight months in Taiwan. Exceptionally cool plants and geologic formations already cause me to rubber neck, yet this additional searching is exciting and sometimes rewarding. Perhaps eight monkeys have been seen this past week swinging and running in the canopies above. Pictures have been taken and time has been spent watching these magnificent, distant cousins go about their intricate lives. This post is not about these primates however, it is about something we have longed and feared to see.

On Saturday, sun shone intermittently through passing clouds and we set off to river-trace. Various stops were made in search of some hidden paths or new experiences on our way to the river. We discovered some possibilities yet decided to continue our trace even though it was a river we'd traced before. With new potential sources of adventures, exploring would require alternative gear. The river we were destined towards is famous in the area for its beauty and is regularly traced by adventure groups providing the opportunity for visitors to experience the majestic rock formations and crystal water. We consider this area our backyard and quickly put distance between us and the kick-off point. At one spot, Dacota taking his normal large strides and me hurrying along attempting to keep up, I looked down and noticed something unique. A green snake lay coiled on the flat of a rock, a rock Dacota had just stepped across. He'd stepped over our friend without noticing it-- I fortunately did. Soaking up the rays, coiled and beautiful, was our first venomous snake of the journey. Easily identified as the Bamboo Viper, this beauty is the most common poisonous snake in Taiwan and the only one not legally protected. There are at least three different types of green tree snakes, two out of three are harmless. The description in the following link about the species will divulge the bit of local knowledge. “Look for the red tail,” is what we were told and indeed this one not only had a red tail but also triangular head and red eyes.


http://www.snakesoftaiwan.com/Viridovipera%20stejnegeri/species_viridovipera_stejnegeri.htm


Due to its nocturnal schedule, this little one only wanted to enjoy itself in the sun and wasn't bothered by our presence in the slightest. We climbed for a bit more, continuing to look around for additional “friends” yet didn't find any. Although Taiwan has a diverse group of snakes, this is the first one I’ve seen and feel privileged for the opportunity. Let's hope that a Sea Krait doesn't take an interest in us when swimming along the coast or for a Tiger Snake to introduce itself while wonder why these ill-prepared foreigners are trudging through the mountainous underbrush. Fortunately, since the majority of our hiking is at high elevations, most mountain snakes are non-venomous. Although,the initial ascent, from 0 – 1000 feet above sea-level offers a variety of venomous snakes which could end our expedition rather abruptly. We'll have to be more cautious in the summer-time during the height of the breeding season; until then, while trudging through the underbrush and overgrown paths on our adventures, rice slippers and shorts will continue to compose our attire.