Venomous pit viper devouring a frog as it takes its final breath captured in gruesome photo

A green viper holds onto a brown tree frog with its jaws, the frog looks as though it is screaming.

A striking photo captures the moment a venomous green pit viper devours a brown tree frog in a rainforest in Taiwan, as the frog forlornly takes a final gulp of air. The gruesome shot has been shortlisted in the Close-up Photographer of the Year 2024 competition.

Green pit vipers (Trimeresurus) have bright green scales and a venomous bite. They are highly skilled predators often found in tropical forests across Asia. The snake's prey in this case, a brown tree frog (Polypedates braueri), is a master of camouflage and agility and it typically resides in trees.