One of the best periods of my life was working as an intern at Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, where I was part of the ‘King Cobra Ecology and Conservation’ project. Spending so much time in the field and that too in such a biologically rich place was a dream come true for a wildlife enthusiast like me.

During one of my days in the field, I spotted this Vine snake foraging in an unusual upside down position, hanging from a low tree branch. As soon as it started to crawl back into the foliage, I went on all fours, to position myself below this beauty to get this shot. Being one of the most gentle creatures on the planet, it allowed me to take some close ups, with a beautiful bokehed background, created by the sunlight being filtered tenderly through the snake colored leaves. No wonder Vine snakes camouflage so flawlessly.

Through this photograph I aim to represent one of the most under-represented and cryptic taxa in the world i.e. snakes. I want to pop the bubble of myths and misconceptions surrounding these beautiful individuals and aim to make people conscious towards them and their conservation.

Edition: 13/13

Collection: Pranay Bhatnagar Editions

Shot by: Pranay Bhatnagar, a wildlife biologist based in India

Location: Agumbe, Karnataka, India

Year taken: 2019

License: The Primary NFT holder is free to use the piece in advertising, private and group displays, including virtual galleries, documentaries and essays, as long as the creator is credited. Provides no rights to create commercial merchandise, for commercial distribution, or derivative works. Copyright remains with the creator.