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Yellow means caution!
The bright color of this eyelash viper serves to warn animals and people that they're encountering of one of the most poisonous snakes at the La Selva Biological Station of the Organization for Tropical Studies.

The snake's bright yellow color, however, is also a meal ticket. It allows the viper to lurk invisibly among the yellow flowers of the "rattlesnake-tail flower" and prey on unsuspecting hummingbirds. As with the multitude of other animals at La Selva, the snake holds scientific mysteries; for example, the purpose of its distinguishing eyelashes remains unknown.

Besides providing basic scientific discoveries, studies of such snakes may also yield practical benefits. The viper's venom, which attacks blood cells, is also being investigated for its anticoagulant properties, as the possible basis for a treatment for cardiac disease.

"Postcards from Costa Rica" commemorates the organization's 40th anniversary. A full-length article on how its researchers and policymakers are helping to conserve tropical forests will appear in an upcoming issue of Duke Magazine.

University Photography photo by Chris Hildreth