Herpetologist Nathanaël Maury's Solo Expedition in Myanmar: Chasing King Cobras and Rare Reptiles

Expedition Overview in Myanmar

• 🗺️ Adventurer and herpetologist Nathanaël Maury undertakes a solo expedition in Myanmar to document elusive reptiles and amphibians.
• 🐍 The journey aims to capture detailed photographic records for an encyclopedia before species potentially disappear.
• ⚠️ Maury navigates challenging terrains, including mine-riddled paths and areas with venomous species.

Discoveries in the Bagan Plain

• 🐍 A Chrysopila ornata (flying snake) is encountered, noted for its gliding ability and rear fangs, posing no significant danger.
• 🐢 A Muscuteta turtle, endemic to Myanmar and a soft-shelled species capable of closing its plastron, is documented.
• 📸 Maury meticulously photographs the turtle, detailing its unique adaptations like estivation and its soft, skin-covered shell.

Encounters in Mountainous Foothills

• 🦎 A Calotus mystasius lizard is captured and photographed, highlighting its insectivorous diet and remarkable color-changing abilities.
• 🐍 A Monocled Cobra (Najakutia) is identified and photographed, noting its venom and the characteristic white throat marking.
• 💡 The cobra's behavior, including hood inflation and the significance of bluish eyes indicating an upcoming skin shed (exuviae), are discussed.

Island Exploration and the King Cobra

• 🦎 An Asian Water Monitor is encountered and photographed, recognized as the second-largest monitor lizard and an opportunistic carrion eater.
• 🐍 The expedition culminates with the discovery of a King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), the longest venomous snake globally.
• 🥚 The King Cobra's unique nesting behavior, where the female guards the eggs and leaves just before hatching to avoid cannibalism, is highlighted.

Reflections and Future Discoveries

• 📸 Maury successfully photographs 32 new species, contributing significantly to his encyclopedia project.
• 🏞️ Despite Myanmar's opening, many regions remain inaccessible, suggesting further discoveries await.
• ✨ The adventure concludes with a sense of accomplishment and the anticipation of future explorations in mysterious lands.