Photography is an art, especially when it brings some of the most insane, beautiful and dangerous creators on Earth, to your fingertips and in front of your eyes. Matthijs Kuijpers is the name of the photographer who beautifully captured these some of the most dangerous creatures on Earth, some of them poisonous, some of them venomous and all of them boasting incredible colours and features which help them survive in the wild. Matthijs got together a collection of his best shots in his book called “Cold Instinct”. You can search it on Instagram and follow it. It is one great project to help us become more aware of the incredible richness our world contains.
1. Cordylus Cataphractus
Cordylus Cataphracus is a type of Armadillo lizard. When in danger, these lizards curl up, put their tails in their jaws and turn into a very strong, armour-like ball with spiny osteodermate scales covering their bodies and deterring any predators.
2. Alligator Mississippiensis Albino
3. Masobe Gecko
Can you believe that this species was first discovered in 2010? How many other species of animals are out there that we know nothing about?
4. Mount Hanang Chameleon
Living at altitudes of almost 3.300m, they have a really thick skin which protects them from extreme UV radiation
5. Corn Snake
A North American species of rat snakes, the corn snake kills its prey by constriction. To humans, they are harmless and quite beneficial, even. They help control the population of wild rodents that can damage crops and spread diseases.
6. Gran Canaria Blue Tailed Skink
A truly majestic creature, this species of skink is endemic to Gran Canaria and lives mostly in temperate forests, shrubland and grassland, with rocky areas and sandy shores. The adult skink can reach 16 to 18 cm and the tail is a whooping 50% of its body. They are quite solitary beings with only one mating partner during one season.
7. Siamese Peninsula Pit Viper
Trimeresurus, also known as the Pit Viper can reach lengths of 242 cm and his venom can be medically significant to humans.
8. Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko
Endemic to Madagascar, this species relies entirely on its natural camouflage to survive.
9. Purple Harlequin Toad
Beautiful and almost extinct. Why?
10. Jackson’s Chameleon
Beautiful creature. Much like a fairy tale dragon. He fights with other male chameleons using his horns and tries to impress the ladies with its beauty.
11. Western Blue-Tongued Skink
Capable of growing to about 45 cm in length, this skink native to Australia usually opens its mouth and sticks its tongue out when in distress.
12. Blue White-Lipped Island Pit Viper
It looks beautifully ferocious, right? It is so. A really aggressive predator, this viper mostly prefers fighting to running away. That’s why you’d better avoid it yourself if met with it on the streets of Bali.
13. Dyeing Poison Frog
The highly toxic poison that these frogs have in their bodies can cause pain, cramping or stiffness. Whenever a predator eats one of these poisonous frogs, he will rapidly learn to associate the bright colour of its prey with the atrocious pain that occurs after “the meal”
14. Golden Poison Frog
This golden frog has a skin coated with an alkaloid toxin which can stop the victim’s nerves from transmitting impulses, resulting in heart failure or fibrillation. This toxin can be stored in the frog years after their death. This species of frog uses its poison only as a defending mechanism and not for killing its prey. The amount of poison one frog can carry is estimated to about one milligram, enough to kill about 10,000 mice. It is a very lethal and rare kind of poison.
15.Anthony’s Poison Arrow Frog
This poison frog is endemic to Ecuador and Peru.
16. Northern Green Tree Python
This python can reach 2 m in length and can weight up to 1.6 Kg. It lives in the trees and feeds on small reptiles and mammals.
17. Giant Monkey Frog
This species’ skin secretes a kind of poison which it’s used in cleansing rituals and can induce intense vomiting.
18. Atheris Hispida
This is a venomous viper species endemic to Central Africa. Its keeled dorsal scales make it look extremely ferocious. There is very few information available regarding its venom. It carries neurotoxins and cytotoxins. A bite can be fatal to humans who cannot get proper first aid or antivenom treatment.
19. Splash-Back Poison Frog
20. Strawberry Poison Frog
This small poison dart frog can mostly be found in Central America.
