Yellow-jaw Tommygoff, Terciopelo

This is a good snake to watch out for. You’re not likely to see one since it’s nocturnal, but if you do, it will probably be in the road at night, which means that it’s smart to take along a flashlight on nocturnal walks. Give these snakes a wide berth, as they tend to be assertive, and since they can get quite large, 6′ or more, you should keep your distance.

That doesn’t mean that you should kill them, though, as they play an important role in the rain forest, and Better in Belize is dedicated to preserving the wild rain forest — so please avoid them rather than exterminate them. Just be careful where you step and put your hands and fingers when bushwhacking or hiking in the forest. There’s some good info here. 

If you can overcome the fear factor, take a close look at the beautiful markings. These markings create excellent camouflage on the leafy forest floor. The underside of its body and head are creamy yellow, which is where the “yellow-jaw” part of the name comes from. The head of this viper is large and square, a viper characteristic.

The terciopelo eats just about anything: insects, frogs, lizards, birds, other snakes and small mammals such as mice and opossums.

In Belize this snake is called the yellow-jaw tommygoff, or terciopelo (“velvet” in Spanish). In other countries it’s known as the fer-de-lance, but nobody calls it that in Belize. Where the name “tommygoff” originated is anybody’s guess.