Snakes!

Not as fast as the Mamba and their poison doesn't work as fast as the Cobra, the Puff Adders kill more people due to the fact that their "defense" is to stay real still, preferably under some leaves or grass. Thus they get stepped on a lot.

One of our Tia's who worked helping take care of the children in the Center was taking food to the shepherds one night and stepped on a Puff Adder. It got one fang into her right foot. It took her 3 days to die.

On the Farm they kill one every few days. Some big ones.

Below is a young Boa they killed.

poisonous snakes are incredibly rare. There are two types found. The Eastern diamondback rattler and the copper head.

I know of four places where they can be found and if someone sees one it makes the local paper.

The Blue Hills Reservation south of Boston.

The Prescott Peninsula in Central Massachusetts at Quabbin Resevior.

Tekoa Mountain near Westfield.

Mt. Washington State Forest in the SW corner of the state near NY and CT.

That is pretty much it.

Most symbolically American animal, along with the Bald Eagle and (according to Ben Franklin) the Turkey. There's a reason why he's on the Gadsden Flag. He is in his own way honorable.

He warns you up front when you threaten his sense of well-being. He doesn't strike first; he strikes last, after making it clear that he will no longer be threatened.

I grew up in the desert Southwest so I have plenty of experience with rattlers; none at all with cottonmouths and copperheads, who seem like comparatively skulking and nasty fellers.