IFS officer shares stunning photo of snake’s camouflage

Parveen Kaswan, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, Saturday shared a photograph of a snake that was perfectly hidden amongst dry sticks and leaves on what appeared to be a forest floor.

Camouflage level !! So what do you see. pic.twitter.com/4yA76ilbe9

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) August 13, 2022

This snake is called as Mock Viper. Mildly venomous. See how good it is in camouflaging.

Just today’s random click from field.

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) August 13, 2022

Cute lil guy just vibing in the woods 🐍

— Medusa World NFT | Minting Q3 (@Medusaworld_co) August 13, 2022

Whats my ex doing there ?

— Tom Cruiz (@GnyanadB) August 13, 2022

The fact is that most of the snakes cannot camouflage.Their skin doesn’t change colour. It has some patterns that allows it to blend in dry leaves or bark of a tree.Otherwise they are easy prey of human,Large birds,boars,mongooses, raccoons, foxes, coyotes and even other snakes.

— Mrinal Mohanti (@MRINAL_MOHANTI) August 13, 2022

😊😊 pic.twitter.com/VpZqBo6o31

— Agantuk (@SayandeepNag) August 13, 2022

Seems a non poisonous tree snake type?

— heightsix (@jpoomath) August 13, 2022

😁 pic.twitter.com/svgcBnddqI

— sarakaari Doctor🙂 (@DrVivekjoshi007) August 13, 2022

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While sharing the photo, Kaswan wrote, “Camouflage level !! So what do you see”.

In another tweet, Kaswan said the thin grey-coloured snake in the photo is called Mock Viper. Kaswan added that he clicked the photo of the mildly venomous snake, which is highly adept at camouflaging, during a field visit.

Snakes like Mock Viper are found across the Indian subcontinent and they use camouflage to protect themselves from predators as well as to hunt prey by sneakily attacking it.

Snakes are not the only animal that uses camouflage as a survival mechanism. All kinds of birds and marine mammals also use disguises to obscure themselves from danger.

In June, a video of orange oakleaf, a type of butterfly, went viral. The video showed an orange oakleaf lying on the ground looking like a dry leaf, but when a person touches the butterfly, it opens its wings and flies away.

In July this year, marine enthusiast Nick Ruberg recorded a viral video that showed an octopus changing its texture and colour to match the ocean floor in an attempt to hide.