April 20, 2010, Hannah Russel arrived in Egypt for her expedition to find new snake species in Egypt, but one particular new species that she was hoping to find, the Egyptian Krait (Bungarus aegypticus), some kraits of Bungarus genus always found in Asia, but rare to find in Africa, particularly in North Africa.
"This time I'm going to check in some area where I could find a rumored Egyptian Krait." Hannah Russell said.
She will be joined by a local snake herper named Samantha Suhir for the expedition.
Samantha Suhir smiled and nodded, her dark eyes shining with excitement. She had been looking forward to this expedition for months. "Yes, I've heard rumors of an Egyptian Krait in this area as well. Let's hope we have some luck finding it."
They set off into the harsh and desolate landscape, both of them alert and watchful. The sun was hot and the air dry, but they were both used to such conditions.
Their first stop is in the habitat outside of Cairo, Egypt.
The two herpetologists arrived at the outskirts of Cairo and began their search in the area's rocky terrain. They checked under large rocks, in crevices, and in any potential hideouts where a snake might be found.
"Keep your eyes peeled," Hannah said, her voice low. "These kraits are notorious for their stealthy movements and quick strikes."
Then, they spotted the Red Mamba (Dendroaspis sanguinis), slithered out of the rocky crevice.
Hannah and Samantha stopped in their tracks as they spotted the Red Mamba emerging from a nearby crevice. The mamba was a beautiful and venomous snake, with a striking pattern of red and black stripes.
Hannah's heart rate quickened as she pulled out her camera. "Be careful," she whispered to Samantha. "Red mambas are fast and their venom is potent."
"Red Mambas can be plain red color or banded."Samantha said. "THey're as feisty as its cousin the Black mamba."
Hannah nodded in agreement. "You're absolutely right," she said. "Red mambas are related to black mambas and they share many of the same behaviors. They're known for their aggressive defense and can move incredibly fast when threatened."
The two herpetologists kept a safe distance from the Red Mamba, studying it and observing its movements.
"This species is found only in North Africa. The size of that snake that we encountered now is a good size snake about 6 feet 5 inches, it has 23 dorsal scales 102 ventral scales and 69 subcaudal scales." Samantha explained.
"Impressive," Hannah said, jotting down notes in her field journal. "The size and scale count you mentioned are quite accurate. The Red Mamba is indeed a large snake species, often reaching lengths of up to 6.5 to 8.2 feet."
Hannah continued to observe the snake intently, taking additional notes and photographs
"It feeds mainly on rodents, birds and lizard. It is diurnal species, both terrestrial and arboreal." Samantha said."
"Yes, that's correct," Hannah confirmed. "Red mambas are primarily diurnal and hunt during the day. They're known to climb trees and are quite adept at navigating both ground-level and elevated environments. Their diet mainly consists of small mammals, birds, and lizards, which they stalk and capture using their incredible speed and agility."
Later, they document the snake and take photographs of this snake and later they left the snake alone.
Hannah and Samantha took their photos and notes of the Red Mamba, ensuring not to disturb the snake unnecessarily. They observed it for a few more moments, taking in the creature's size and the way it moved through its rocky habitat.
"That was a beautiful specimen," Hannah said, putting her camera away. "Let's move on and continue our search for the Egyptian Krait."
They continued their search, moving through the rocky landscape and checking likely hideouts for the elusive Egyptian Krait. The hot sun beat down on them, and the dry air made their throats parched, but they pressed on.
They searched under rocks, in crevices and any potential hiding spots where a snake might be found. However, no sign of the Egyptian Krait so far.
Frustration started to mount as the day went by and they encountered no sign of the Egyptian Krait. The heat and the lack of progress was starting to wear on both of them.
"We have to keep going," Hannah said, her voice tense. "It's possible that we're just not looking in the right places yet."
Then, they spotted the Green Cobra (Naja verde) spreading its hood, basking on the rock.
The sight of the green cobra, its hood spread wide in a fierce display, stopped Hannah and Samantha in their tracks. The cobra was a striking and venomous snake species that was known for its defensive nature.
Hannah's eyes widened as she spotted the cobra. "Be careful," she said quietly. "That's a green cobra, and it looks like it's feeling threatened. We need to give it space and approach carefully."
"We've got two new species of elapids, Red Mamba and Green Cobra. This is a good sign." Samantha said.
YOU ARE READING
Hannah Russell: The American Snakewoman
De TodoHannah Russell (20), a young American herpetologist who is fascinated with snakes. She determined to find and documented new snake species that was not described or not yet being discovered by other herpers.
