Hime Habu

Found this little guy chilling out in the grass in the garden. Took an iPhone pic then asked Okinawa Nature Photograher Shawn Miller what it is. Turns out it is a juvenile Princess habu (Ovophis okinavensis), a venomous pit viper species. The haemotoxic venom is not enough to kill an human, but wouldn’t want the cat or dog to get bitten. I’ll keep the grass and scrub near the house cut short so there are fewer places for them to hide.