🐍 Meet the Side-Striped Palm Viper –🧬(Bothriechis lateralis)
Is a striking venomous snake native to Costa Rica and parts of western Panama.
This stunning arboreal snake is native to the mountain forests of Costa Rica and western Panama, thriving at elevations between 700–1950 meters. Adults typically reach 60–70cm in length, with some growing up to 97cm to 1mt. Males are slightly longer than females.
With its vibrant emerald or bluish-green body framed by cream or yellow side stripes, this species is hard to miss. Juveniles start out brown or reddish with distinct stripes and a yellow-green tail tip — perfect camouflage in leaf litter and undergrowth.
Despite being tree-loving, they’re often seen near the ground, especially in secondary forests and coffee plantations — which unfortunately makes agricultural workers more prone to accidental bites.
Viviparous like many vipers, the Side-Striped Palm Viper gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs.
📍 Found from Costa Rica to western Panama, this beautiful but venomous species is a reminder of the wild wonders that live alongside us — and why careful conservation matters.
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