Photo by jenguyton | Immersed in the verdant labyrinth of Costa Rica, we explored the Monteverde cloud forest on a National Geographic expedition, where we encountered a palm pit viper (Bothriechis lateralis). This captivating contradiction of beauty and menace lives high in the canopy, which was visible to us from the unique vantage of a hanging bridge. The snake curled onto a branch, languid yet lethal, perhaps readying itself for the hunt. These vipers are sit-and-wait predators; using their prehensile tail as an anchor against a potentially deadly plunge to the forest floor, the vipers will strike at unlucky birds, lizards, or rodents that pass by. natgeoexpeditions. #NatGeoExpeditions