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Nature and reptile lover Wild catches and encounters. Exotic animals. Main page📈@nickforddd

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The stunning eastern glass lizard (Legless lizard) a true natural work of art by @naturenickkk

Always ankle deep somewhere… by @naturenickkk

Mammoth diamond back water snake. Please slow the hell down when driving by @naturenickkk

A behemoth DOR diamondback watersnake. by @naturenickkk

$Eastern glass lizard I snagged up today, and my FIRST EVER HANDS ON!! The eastern glass lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) is a non-venomous, legless reptile endemic to the Southeastern United States that is frequently mistaken for a snake.Size: Grows between 18 to 43 inches (45.7 to 108.3 cm) in total length, with more than half of that length being the tail.Distinguishing Features: Unlike snakes, they possess movable eyelids, external ear openings, rigid jaws that cannot unhinge, and a distinct lateral (side) groove.Tail Autotomy: Their common name comes from the brittle nature of their long tails, which can break off or fracture into pieces when threatened to distract predators while the lizard escapes, later regenerating.• Habitat: Found across coastal plains and piedmont regions in pine flatwoods, wetland edges, maritime forests, and sandy dunes. • Diet: Insectivorous, feeding on spiders, insects, snails, earthworms, small mammals, bird or reptile eggs, and smaller conspecifics by @naturenickkk$

GIANT eastern glass lizard(Legless lizard) I’ve seen two others but they successfully escaped. When this specimen saw me it bolted, that’s when I sped forward and dove in the bushes Steve Irwin style. I wasn’t letting this one get away! by @naturenickkk

The massive turkey vulture. The Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) is a large New World scavenger bird found across open and semi-open habitats from southern Canada to South America.Appearance: Brownish-black plumage with a distinctive two-toned appearance on the underside of their long wings, and a bald, reddish-pink head.Size: Measures about 25 to 32 inches in length, weighs between 2 and 4.5 pounds, and boasts an impressive wingspan of roughly 5.5 to 6.5 feet.• Diet: They feed almost exclusively on carrion (dead animals) and locate meals from high above using an exceptionally sharp sense of smell—rare for birds. by @naturenickkk

One massive wall of the lookdown fish. The Lookdown (Selene vomer) is a striking marine game fish belonging to the jack family, Carangidae.Body Shape: Extremely thin, laterally compressed, and rhombus-shaped, making them look almost two-dimensional from certain angles.Range: Found in the western Atlantic Ocean, ranging from Canada (Nova Scotia/Maine) down through the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America to Uruguay and Argentina.• Diet: Carnivorous, feeding on small crustaceans, shrimp, small fishes, worms, and small invertebrates near the seafloor. by @naturenickkk

Beautiful cottonmouth swimming in the swampy shallows by @naturenickkk

Alluring eastern copperhead found in copperhead canyon! The eastern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) has mild-to-moderate hemotoxic venom that is rarely fatal to humans, though bites cause intense localized pain, swelling, and tissue damage.Type: Hemotoxic venom that breaks down red blood cells, affects tissue integrity, and interferes with blood clotting.Potency: Lower potency and smaller venom yield compared to other pit vipers like rattlesnakes or cottonmouths.• Dry Bites: Roughly 20% to 25% of copperhead bites are “dry,” meaning the snake injects no venom at all.
Enzymes: Contains active components like zinc metalloproteinase (fibrolase) and inflammatory mediators that disrupt the coagulation cascade.WHILE THIS SNAKE IS VENOMOUS, it’s shy and timid of humans as all snakes are! Experts and scientists are even doing tests with its venom in hopes of making lifesaving cancer protocols and treatments! by @naturenickkk

Copperhead canyon was live today! Beautiful specimen relaxing among the leaf litter. The camouflage of these particular copperheads is what truly awes and amazes me every time! Such a gentle snake! by @naturenickkk

Stunning sand fish skinks. The sandfish skink (Scincus scincus) is a small, specialized lizard native to the deserts of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Growing to about 6 to 8 inches long, it is famous for its ability to “swim” through loose sand using an undulatory movement with its limbs tucked.• Wedge-shaped head: Features a countersunk lower jaw to slice through sand smoothly.• avoids harsh heat and predators.
• Diet: Consists of live insects like crickets , Dubia roaches, and mealworms dusted with calcium. by @naturenickkk

Nick ford

@naturenickkk