May 19 2017, Emily and Cassidy visited the Philippines for the second time and reunites with a Filipina snake herper Hannah Sanchez again, it would be the second time they met since the time during the expedition to find an elusive Luizon Blue Krait, this time the trio were headed to Zambales to find a rare new pit viper species called the Zambales Yellow Pit Viper (Trimeresurus zambalensis).
Their first stop was in the beach Zambales, where they saw a sea snake crawling on the land.
"Wow, a sea snake out of the water, that's unusual!" Hannah exclaimed.
Emily used her snake tongs to handle the sea snake.
"We need to be careful while stepping on the beach since we were barefooted, we stumbled on a new species of sea krait." Emily said.
Hannah nodded in agreement while Cassidy added, "You're right, these sea snakes can be venomous. Let's proceed carefully."
"This is Robinson's Sea Krait (Laticauda robinsoni), they're common in the waters of Subic Bay." Hannah said. "Look at the size of this snake, it's over 4 feet, it has 30 dorsal scales, 151 ventral scales and 61 subcaudal scales."
Emily observed the sea krait with interest, taking note of its size and scales. "It's fascinating to see this Robinson's Sea Krait so close. Its coloring and scalation are remarkable."
"Sea kraits are the only types of sea snakes that can crawling on the land while true sea snakes cannot." Hannah said.
Cassidy nodded, impressed. "That's a valuable piece of information, Hannah. It's incredible how adaptable sea kraits are compared to true sea snakes."
"The Robinson's Sea Krait is known to feed on fishes and eels and their venom is super highly neurotoxic. So we should be handle this snake very carefully even though they are placid, docile and not aggressive." Emily said.
"One interesting about the Robinson's Sea Krait is that this is that is a blue-and-yellow banded snake with small white spots ranging from head to tail. Its belly is also has blue-and-yellow bands." Hannah said. "This new species is found only in the shallow waters and coral reefs of Japan, Taiwan and Philippines."
"This is a beautiful snake." Cassidy said.
Emily agreed, "Absolutely, Cassidy. The Robinson's Sea Krait is a stunning and fascinating creature, but we need to remember to handle it with care." They observed the sea krait's beautiful coloring and made notes of its habitat and diet.
"It's incredible to think that this species is found in such a wide range of locations, from Japan to the Philippines. Its adaptability is truly impressive. Is it endangered?" Cassidy asked.
"Not yet endangered but it's already a protected species." Hannah said.
Emily nodded, "That's good to hear. It's important to protect such unique and diverse species. Let's continue our search for the Zambales Yellow Pit Viper."
They document and taking photographs of the Robinson's Sea Krait as Emily used her snake tongs and moved the snake back to the water as the snake swim away back underwater in the middle of the ocean, heading to the coral reefs.
Later, Emily, Cassidy and Hannah explored the Subic Bay Forest Reserve. They keep searching for the elusive Zambales Yellow Pit Viper. Then, they stumbled on a new species of snake called Zambales Bronzeback (Dendralaphis zambalensis) coiling on the tree branch.
"Look at this one, it's a Zambales Bronzeback, a new species of bronzeback. Non-venomous." Hannah said. "It is endemic to Zambales."
"What a beautiful snake." Emily said. "A blue-colored snake with green longitudinal stripes and its belly is pale blue."
"I assumed this new species inhabited in forests only." Cassidy said.
"Yes, this species thrives in forests only, it feeds mostly on geckos and other tree-dwelling lizards. It is also feed on frogs, small birds and slugs." Hannah explained. "It has 24 dorsal scales 140 ventral scales and 69 subcaudal scales. This specimen right here is over 4 feet 1 inches long."
Emily and Cassidy were amazed by the discovery of the new Zambales Bronzeback snake and carefully observed its features. They took notes on its coloring, scaling and dietary habits. Emily couldn't resist taking a few photos to document their finding.
"This is truly an exciting discovery," Cassidy said with a smile. "To come across a new species of snake is just remarkable."
Hannah smiled, "This is exactly why snake herping can be so exciting. You never know what you might find. The Zambales Bronzeback is a beautiful snake, and its colors are quite striking. It's great to see it thriving in its natural habitat here in the Subic Bay Forest Reserve."
"Sometimes every snake subspecies can be classified into a seperate species." Emily said.
"That's true, Emily. The line between subspecies and species can be blurred, and there are many factors that can influence the decision to classify a particular population as a distinct species." Cassidy agreed. "It's an ongoing challenge for herpetologists and evolutionary biologists to determine where the dividing line should be drawn.
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Emily Riddles: American Snake Master
RandomEmily Riddles is a 21-year-old wildlife photographer and herpetlogist from Phoenix, Arizona. She is a well-known snake expert who travel around the world to find, document and photographed all kinds of snakes, both venomous and non-venomous.
