Bothrops bilineatus is a highly
venomous species of
pit viper found in the
Amazon region of South America. A pale green arboreal species that may reach 1 m (3.3 ft) in length, it is an important cause of snakebite throughout the entire Amazon region. It is a
nocturnal species, spending the day hidden in dense vegetation in lowland rainforest, usually in the vicinity of water. It emerges at night to feed on small mammals, birds, lizards and frogs, tending to rely on
ambush rather than actively hunting for
prey. This
B. bilineatus individual was photographed in an
Atlantic Forest preservation area in the state of
Bahia in eastern Brazil.
Photograph credit: Renato Augusto Martins