white raven

In the human consciousness, vultures and ravens are imposing birds known for their pitch-black plumage and often-dark allegory. First Nations legends speak of a white raven that soiled its plumage on a muddy island as it grieved for its mate. The raven later regained its strength, and it will return in the end times to judge humans under the direction of the Great Spirit. Although they appear in legends, white ravens actually do exist. I have photographed these birds in British Columbia, where they became avian celebrities. Just as real is the ghoulish albino turkey vulture, a carrion-eating native of North and South America. Lacking melanin, its black feathers are replaced with a ghostly white plumage. Unfortunately, its diet of rotten meat can wreak havoc on its immaculate plumage.

Boomslang

Boomslang

The Boomslang is a snake that is primarily found in the South African area, but has been known to make its rounds throughout the African continent. It is one of the deadliest snakes in the world for a couple of reasons.

The fangs on this guy are big, and this is uncommon among the Boomslang's species. The eyes are also interesting. In fact, they have better eyesight than most snakes. Some say its eyesight is as good as a normal human being.

As most people know, snakes don't typically have the best eyesight. The Boomslang breaks that trend in a major way. They have been known to pick birds right out of the air due to their tremendous sight.

A human has no chance of escaping a bite if the Boomslang chooses to attack them. They usually don't go after humans, but will when threatened. Many of them are green and brown, so they blend in well with the wooded environment in which they thrive.

Boomslangs contain a Hemotoxin venom that, when injected, can kill within hours. A person will literally bleed from the inside out. You will bleed from every hole in the body. Every single one.

The deadliest part of the whole thing is that the only place in South Africa that has the Antivenom is Johannesburg. So, if you're out in the bush when you get attacked, you may not make it to the hospital in time. Obviously, the smaller you are, the quicker it'll kill.

If you don't get treatment quickly, you'll start to wish you did, so don't play around with this. The average time for the poison to kill is a mere two hours. However, the longer you wait, the greater the risk for long term damage.

Owston’s civet

The beautiful striped coat of the Owston’s civet is unfortunately its downfall – as they are hunted illegally for their fur. They also have an attractive musky scent which has also led to them being hunted in the wild. Due to the disappearance of the forests they live in and their restricted range, loss of habitat is a problem for these beautiful animals.