This photo is a tough one, and I’m guessing 99% of you have no idea what I’m trying to show you. You aren’t alone. When our guide used his laser pointer no one in the boat saw what he saw. This drove our guide insane, so eventually we all said we did. Later that night, during dinner, all six of us confessed that we hadn’t seen the Boa constrictor. Yes, behind all of the leaves is a Boa. When I got home I downloaded all of the photos and guess what, I finally saw it. Sort of. Our guide wasn’t playing with us. Now this makes me wonder, how many critters were out there that we couldn’t see. And how in the world did our guide spot this?
If you look just above the green dot you can see the snake.
50 Year Project 
oh!! I didn’t see anything either. Then after I read your explanation, I focused my eyea well and saw it…great hiding place
It’s hard to see him, even though he isn’t that tiny.
found it without the dot–what I have in observation I counter with stupidity
Interesting balance…does one tip the scale more?
depends on the day
I like the honesty!
Wow! I cannot imagine how many critters go unnoticed. I’d rather unnoticed than right infront of me haha. If they aren’t bothering me I’m ok with that!
That is my theory as well when I go on these trips. So far, it’s worked for me.
I actually saw the snake before I saw the green dot. I was like what green dot is he on about?
Good for you! Good thing the guide had the laser otherwise I never would have taken the photo of the green dot 🙂
I guess not being a big fan of snakes helps me identify them faster. I wasn’t sure if it was an owl or something at first but I definitely knew it was a creature.
We did see some owls, but never got a photo of one.
Yah. Boa my arse. It’s somebody’s worn-out leopard print undies that have blown off a washing line somewhere.
LOL…why didn’t I have that line at the time?
Coz I wasn’t there…
Seen these???
http://theverybesttop10.com/2013/06/05/amazing-caterpillars/
Wow those are super cool! This world is amazing and I signed up to follow this blog. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any of them otherwise I would have shared a photo right away
I love his blog… it was the ‘ten most amazing cakes made out of Kitkats’ that swayed me 😉
Yes that would get me! I’m assuming you eat the cake with your fingers.
I think I must have an eye for snakes, as I spotted it first time. 😀 Good job you were in a boat and not trudging through the undergrowth.
Well the boat at one point was underneath it and I wasn’t too thrilled about it. But I think finding this one during a hike would be more terrifying.
Yikes. I don’t like snakes at all and would be totally freaked out.
You and the better half. I’m not a fan of them, but I find them interesting. Just as long as they aren’t too close.
Wow! It’s amazing how those creatures can hide. It was a good idea to take a picture even though you didn’t see anything special, well done! I remember hiking in Danum and I smelt a weird smell, the guide told me there’s a leopard near by (we were walking in it’s territory) but we never saw it. It was probably sitting in a tree watching us walk underneath it!
a leopard! That would freak me out. There was this couple in Zambia that went on a walking safari and they came across a rhino. They guy said his heart almost burst out of his chest, but he couldn’t move until the rhino walked by. I would have died. Just fallen dead.
Sounds crazy! But imagine the story you could tell everyone after that (if you survived) 😉
I would want to tell everyone that people would stop inviting me over to dinner.
It is so interesting (and scary) to think that there is so much stuff in this world we don’t notice! Thanks for sharing the photo!
I think if I knew about all the things out there I would never, ever sleep.
Ok, I see its eye…or maybe that’s just one of its spots!
I’m not sure either.
It’s actually scary thinking about how many creatures actually go unnoticed!
Lynn 😀
Yes. And don’t get me started on the invisible stuff. I love the show, Monster inside me, but it freaks me out.
Beautiful pattern on it. Always fascinated by how stunning the natural world can be – snakes have such variety 🙂
They do. that’s why even though they freak me out, I’m still like, “Let me see … oh that’s scary … let me look closer … oh get it away!”
I’m happy enough around a constrictor – anything poisonous would probably have me running for the hills! I was afraid of our two for a while – kept having nightmares that they had got out and got in the bed with us! But until we got the pups our snakes were the most cuddly affectionate pets we had! They would sit like a labrador on your arm and watch Top Gear with us!
Do you have photos of them watching the telly?
I think it’s probably a good thing that you didn’t see half of the creatures that were out there. You may have had trouble sleeping at night :).
Especially since I kept finding unwanted creatures in my room and in my bed. Yikes!
Ewwww! What kind of creatures?
My extremely scientific answer is bugs.
…and my extremely scientific comment is YUCK!! 🙂
Mine was to keep swatting at things that were or weren’t there. I hate that feeling of something crawling on me.
Very interesting. I saw the snake right away before reading the text of the post. And then I had to hunt for the green dot…..I see some of your other readers were the same. It would be interesting to use for a perception class – psychology or biology – and see what percentage see the snake no problem and what percent don’t.
It would be a fun test and it blows my whole theory that 99% wouldn’t be able to see it. I wonder what the correlation would be: would those who hate snakes see it more since they have a fear? Or those who love snakes?
I like snakes, though I give them healthy respect.
and distance 🙂
i like snakes, but i would never have spotted this one without the marker. in fact, i had trouble spotting it _with_ the marker.
No worries, so did I. I still have to squint to see it.
I wouldn’t have seen it if you hadn’t pointed it out. I think I would have been glad to have imagined the guide was making it up!
It did make me feel better.
In Tamil there is a saying, “If you say ‘snake’ even an army will shake (in fear)”
I ‘think’ I can just about spot the snake unless it is a small branch which I think is the snake.
Pythons and Cobras roll off our tongues easily like they were domestic lizards. But a
Boa Constrictor?!! The name it self sounds sinister.
I need to remember that saying, it’s wonderful! I really enjoy all the tidbits that you share. And Pythons and Cobras–just the words make me start to shake!
I guess it’s his job to know what to look out for and whereabouts to find them?
True, which is probably why I’m not a guide. I’d be too distracted and could never focus on the details. “Oh, bird!”
Can just about see it…but I laughed as it reminded me of an episode of Friends (did you ever watch it, if not this will not make sense!) when Rachel is pregnant and has her scan and everyone can make ou the baby except her and in the end she pretends she can 😉
I have seen that one. that’s perfect! I used to love Friends. When I moved here I was surprised that Friends is on all the time here. I’m finding that more are able to see the snake without any help. Maybe me fear is too powerful.
Ahh, I see it now.
🙂
Great shot!
thanks
Snakes in a tree!
I have to admit, I thought the Snakes in a plane movie was kinda funny.
Well, if you didn’t say a boa is in the photo, I wouldn’t have seen it! Thanks for sharing it with us:-)
Glad I’m not alone.
I have to stare at the picture to finally make out the snake..
I did as well. At first I was why did I take this picture, it’s just leaves.
hahaha that was my first reaction. what so special about this picture that she has to post it and after staring , ahh …
🙂
That is amazing…the animal world is so fascinating
Every trip proves this to me.
I saw it without seeing the Green dot…And after I realized….I have to say I HATE snakes…When we were in Botswana our guide told us about a Black Mamba….I am glad I was unable to see it…If not I would still be running!!! I agree with you in one thing; guides are incredible…They are able to see anything, any track….Incredible indeed!!!
When we were in Botswana it was winter so there wasn’t a decent chance that we would have seen a Black Mamba. Good thing. The better half would have flown home immediately. And yes, the guides are amazing. I wish I had their skill and knowledge.
This is so fantastic! All your photos are making me move a trip to Malaysia closer and closer to the top of our travel list. It’s so amazing how they blend in – I would definitely be wondering how many other unseen things are around as well…actually, in my case it may be best that I don’t know. 🙂
We loved Malaysia. We have two friends who live there and that’s how we decided to bump the country up the list. It was all fantastic–even the hidden creatures.