Whilst I appreciate many people are afraid of snakes, some even phobic about them, I am always struck by how rarely we have in fact seen them on our Safari trips.
When we first came on a safari I expected snakes dangling from every tree and hiding ready to strike behind every rock. The reality I have learnt from our total immersion therapy of regular safari holidays is that snakes are amongst the most elusive of Africa's fauna.
So to see this Puff Adder on our first safari night drive was a special sighting. Perhaps Africa's most dangerous snake the Puff Adder has the most beautiful colouring which this specimen showed off perfectly.
Puff Adders move in a 'caterpillar' fashion, leaving distinct deep, straight tracks in the sand and, like the one we saw here, are most active at night, preferring to shelter during the day from the sun. They ambush small rodents and birds, and even other snakes. They kill their prey by biting it, and then leaving the prey to die.
The venom is cytotoxic, which attacks the blood cells and tissues.
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