Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper

Sometimes in nature, I find it difficult to overcome intense emotional attachment with wildlife.

In September 2018, I traveled to Sri Lanka for the first time on a wildlife trip focused on the endemic snakes of the island (with Classic Travel and Wildside Nature Tours.) I had a favorite endemic lizard and skink picked out from the Reptiles of Sri Lanka book the moment I opened it. Choosing a most wanted snake was only slightly more of a challenge; of course, I wanted to see the iconic Indian (or Spectacled) Cobra. How could I resist the thrill of finding a Russell’s Viper or a Saw Scaled Viper… two of the deadliest snakes in Asia. I had also seen the hump-nosed vipers from Steve Irwin’s visit to Sri Lanka, so I definitely hoped to see those as well. One snake however, still called to me above the rest. Perhaps because it was the cover photo of the field guide, or perhaps because I can’t resist the gorgeous green, yellow, and black of an untouchable Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper.

Last year, in the mountains surrounding the city of Kandy, our group was out on a night hike in search of some locally endemic reptiles such as the Hump-nosed Lizard, which we were quickly successful at finding. My best friend Sandy spotted our first venomous snake of the trip, a Merrem’s Hump-nosed Viper. He was close and gorgeous. I remembered how dangerous this little snake was from watching Steve Irwin’s Crocodile Hunter episode filmed in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Hump-nosed Lizard, or Lyre Head Lizard, an
 endemic. Photo from Kandy, September 2018.

Merrem's Hump-nosed Viper. Photoed in Kandy, September 2018

Moments later, through the darkness, a group member called out that they had a pit viper. My heart was racing. I found it hard to swallow as Sandy and I made our way towards the voices of our group. As we approached, the green seemed to glow in the night. I snapped this photo with shaking hands, just before someone noticed that the snake was trapped.

A baby Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper, endemic.
Photo in Kandy, September 2018.

It had somehow had the misfortune of being in the wrong place when a limb fell, nearly severing the body in two. Several of our group members were able to move the branch, revealing that the snake’s body was being held in one piece by a single strand of tissue. Snakes are tough critters and can survive some pretty remarkable injuries, but due to the severity and location of this particular injury, this youngster didn’t stand a chance. Still overcome by seeing my most-wanted snake, and the high energy rush to get up the hill to see it, I was crushed knowing it wouldn’t live. I couldn’t hold back tears as I watched it, just a baby, knowing it would soon die of a combination of its injury, starvation, and dehydration. The group left it atop a stick, where I knew it would suffer even more in the next day’s sun. I requested it be moved under some leaves, but I secretly hoped someone would end its suffering right there.

That was the one and only Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper we saw on that trip.

In March, I was back in Sri Lanka and hoped again to revisit the Green Pit Viper. Saranga and I visited several locations where they reside, but the heat and dry conditions weren’t optimal for snake activity.

It wasn’t to be.

Again, I’ve been in Sri Lanka since mid-August. The snake has constantly been in the back of my mind. In early October, my mom was visiting Sri Lanka to attend my wedding. We wanted to make sure she got the full wildlife experience, so we planned visits to Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Udawalawe National Park, and Wilpattu National park in addition to some other local birding spots. I know the damp habitat and streams of Sinharaja are perfect for Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper, so I once again mentioned to Saranga and the local park guide that I’d like to see one.

Saranga photographing a waterfall at Sinharaja, 10 October 2019.

I wasn’t expecting to see one, but just wanted to make it known, since most visitors aren’t interested in snakes like I am.

As we hiked, we saw some exceptional birds. 

Malabar Trogon, female. Photo by Saranga Dissanayaka.
Sinharaja Forest Reserve 10 October 2019

Sri Lanka Frogmouth, male and female. Sinharaja, 10 October 2019.

As we went off-trail with the guide to see the pair of Sri Lanka Frogmouths (above) the guide suddenly told me to stop before hopping over a stream. He pointed down, and there, where we had just crossed moments before, was a Lowland Hump-nosed Viper. Overly excited, I took some photos and shared the sighting with my mom and Saranga. Along with the birds and several Green Vine Snakes, I was already more than happy for the day.

Lowland Hump-nosed Viper, endemic. Sinharaja, 10 October 2019.

During our lunch break, mom, Saranga, and I cooled our feet in a stream while watching endemic fish and some interesting frogs and geckos. 

A cryptically colored gecko. Sinharaja 10 October 2019.

Our guide went down another trail before coming back to tell us he had seen a pit viper. I quickly strapped my boots and leech guards back on and grabbed my camera… leaving my bag and lunch behind and followed the guide. Again, my heart was racing as we walked, seemingly forever, up the trail. I felt sick to my stomach from excitement and remembering my last encounter. I quickly scanned every bit of stream and good-looking vegetation to try to spot a snake on my own while also trying to not lose the guide ahead of me.

Finally, he simply stopped and pointed. There it was. A Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper. Alive and healthy. It was using its prehensile tail to grasp a twig as it waited in a strike-ready position for any frog, tadpole, or fish to venture into its reach. I nearly cried as I snapped as many photos as I could from every angle I could without disturbing it. I used my cellphone, I used my point-and-shoot camera, and I even borrowed mom's phone for a few shots. 

Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper, hunting the Sinharaja Forest Reserve,
10 September 2019.

Saranga's photo of the Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper. Sinharaja, 10 October 2019.

Letting me get my fill of the beautiful animal in front of me, the guide waited several minutes before pointing out that he had also found a second one (and two Green Vine Snakes) nearby. The second one was just as alert yet oblivious to our presence. I starred through my 8x32 binoculars at close range to soak in every bit of detail that I could. Every scale, the loreal pits, the shape of its mouth, that distinctive triangle head leading to a narrow neck. The green. The flecks of yellow. The black. The intensity of its stare and focus on food….

The second Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper
Photo by Saranga Dissanayaka.

Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper

My cellphone picture of the second Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper

Tears come to my eyes again, just recalling the beauty of these snakes. In the moment of being in the presence of not one, but TWO Green Pit Vipers, I completely forgot to take pictures of the Green Vine Snakes, another favorite of mine, so I was thankful to encounter another during our hike out of the forest. 

Green Vine Snake. Sinharaja, 10 October 2019.

Needless to say, our guide got an extra tip for going above and beyond to find these snakes for me. He knew I wanted to see them, and he knew a trail where they like to feed. He went while we rested, quite a way out of the way to look for this one species for us. It turned out that he also remembered Saranga and me from our visit to Sinharaja in March. He invited us to his home for tea after our day’s adventure. The hospitality in Sri Lanka is truly unmatchable.  

My mom, Julie, me, Saranga, and our wonderful Forest Department guide