The South American Bushmaster snake is a venomous Pit Viper native to South America. There are two recognised sub-species. The nominate species Lachesis muta muta and the Atlantic Forest bushmaster, Lachesis muta rhombeata.
They belong to the subfamily Crotalinae which includes other species of Pit Vipers such as the Rattlesnakes, Cottonmouth and the Copperhead.
South American Bushmaster Snake Description
They are the third longest venomous snakes in the world, growing to lengths of up to 10ft. They have a broad head that is much wider than their neck. The color patter of the South American Bushmaster consists of a yellow, red or brown background color that is overlaid with a series of dark brown or black dorsal blotches.
These blotches are generally shaped like an inverted triangle. The centre of the blotches are usually filled with an overlay of the snakes base color. Their body is stout, cylindrical and tapered.
Bushmaster Range and Habitat
The South American Bushmaster snake can be found in the Northern regions of South America, east of the Andes. Their range also extends up into parts of Central America.
They can be found in countries such as Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, Bolivia and Brazil. They can also be found on the island of Trinidad. Their range extends up into Central America into Panama and Costa Rica.
These snakes like to live in dense forested areas that receive a lot of rainfall. The can be found on the foothills of mountains all the way to the coastline.
South American Bushmaster Snake Diet
The South American Bushmaster is a nocturnal hunter. They primarily prey on small mammals with rodents making up the bulk of their diet. This diet is supplemented with the occasional bird and reptile.
They are an ambush predator. This means that they conceal themselves and wait motionless for a meal to come to them. Once in range, the snake will strike and inject venom into the unsuspecting animal.
South American Bushmaster Behaviour
The South American Bushmaster snake has extremely sensitive heat sensing pits that are located between their eyes and nostrils. These pits are used for sensing infrared heat and allow the snakes to detect warm blooded prey.
When threatened, these snakes will ‘rattle’ their tail against the floor. They do not have a rattle on their tail like a rattlesnake, so they use the same technique as many of the North American Colubrids.
Bushmaster Snake Venom
The venom yield of the South American Bushmaster snake is very large. They are capable of producing up to 8 times more venom than the Copperhead. The venom itself isn’t as toxic as other Viper species but the sheer volume that they can inject is what makes this snake so deadly.
They have a haemotoxic venom. This venom works by attacking the circulatory system, destroying red blood cells and can cause organ degeneration. The venom can cause massive tissue damage and can lead to necrosis.
Other effects of the venom include nausea, vomiting, severe pain and chills.
Breeding South American Bushmaster Snakes
The South American Bushmaster snake reaches maturity at around 4 years of age. The male tracks down a female by following a scent trail. These snakes are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs as opposed to giving live birth. This is the only Pit Viper in the Americas that actually lay eggs. A clutch size can range anywhere from 5 to 18 eggs.
It can take the eggs anywhere from 60-80 days to hatch. During this entire time, the female is very protective of the eggs and will remain with them, rarely leaving the nest. When the babies hatch from the egg, they measure around 1-1.5ft in length.