Snakes are not man’s best friends. For all I know, most people cringe at the sight of them, and sometimes just the mention. I, on the other hand, love snakes. I work for snake conservation and my line of work brings me awfully close to these fascinating reptiles. Hence, a lot of my photography revolves around these

carnivorous creatures.  

People are always curious about the challenges of being a wildlife photographer. It is true that nature is as dangerous as it is wonderful. When you venture into the wild, you don’t really know what’s in store for you. You have to be prepared, and you have to be fearless. The only way I could get good at this was by putting my fear aside and letting my passion lead the way.

Luckily for me, I am happier when I am out in the wild and I really enjoy capturing snakes with my camera. It is always enthralling. There are approximately 3,000 species of snakes in the world and each species comes with its own speciality. In this series, I have captured nine species that I encountered in Pokhara and Chitwan.

Photos & Text: Rohit Giri

King Cobra is extremely large, swift, and nocturnal/diurnal. When alarmed, it spreads a hood.

Common Sand Boa.

Bronzed-back Tree Snake.

Copper-Headed Trinket Snake is slow but venomous. While some may put on a dramatic open-mouthed display, they calm down when gently handled.

Cat Snake.

The photographer with copper-Headed Trinket Snake.

King Cobra.

Buff-striped Keelback is named for the distinct fold or keel on most dorsal scales. Some species have enlarged, fang-like teeth at the back of the upper jaw to puncture toads and frogs which inflate to prevent being swallowed. While some are slow and gentle, most of the true water snakes are fast and feisty.

Green Pit Viper is small to medium-sized, slow, and  nocturnal/durinal. It is found mainly in the hilly region and lowlands of Nepal.

Common Rat Snake is a large, fast, terrestrial snake, active during the day.

It feeds on rat, mice, birds and lizards. It is excitable and likely to bite when picked up, but calm when handled gently.