I came to Costa Rica with a Lonely Planet guidebook. I first used these books many years ago, on travels through Asia. They were a traveller’s bible. Not any more. In this edition, there is a section that lists the “most venomous critters” in Costa Rica. The list includes two snakes, neither of which are deadly to humans, a scorpion, vampire bat and wasp. Just five. I suspect the publisher is cooperating with the CR ministry of tourism and intentionally avoiding the lethal truth here. Don’t scare the tourists!
The truth is that just in the category of snakes, there are 168 species here, 22 of which are poisonous. And they aren’t all out there in the deep jungle. Ray tells me he sees coral snakes on his property about once every three months. He suggests I wear proper shoes, not sandals, when I walk around. Looking into this further I read an account of someone who survived a Coral Snake bite. Apparently you have five hours to get to hospital for anti-venom treatment or it’s all over. In her case, treatment lasted three weeks. And it’s painful.
Coral snakes are colourful, so they’re easy to see. They’re also, small, reclusive and not agressive. The Fer de Lance is the opposite on all these points. It’s two meters long, aggressive and coloured to blend into the ground. It’s bite is as deadly as the Coral Snake’s. It accounts for the majority of snake bite deaths in this country, partly because it reproduces in huge numbers – 18 cuddly, not-so-little cuties at a time. And partly because it lives close to where people live.
That’s just two of the 22 you want to avoid. And not the most venomous. Those would be the massive Bushmaster (3 meters) and the Neotropical Rattlesnake.
Hmmm. I am now rethinking Costa Rica. I HATE snakes.
I’m not so keen on snakes either. But in fairness, I think they are pretty rare to non-existent in the areas where tourists usually go. Kind of like grizzly bears and cougars in BC.