First, let’s get acquainted with the sentinel and the location of its watch. The viper is a snake that feeds on little birds, while the pizonia is a shrub that resembles our honeysuckle. They both reside in Uganda, Africa.
Each plant has its own unique way of spreading seeds. The pizonia shoots sticky seeds from its fruit like a cannon. As soon as a bird brushes against one of these fruits, it becomes completely covered in seeds. However, the pizonia tends to go overboard. Startled by the first “artillery attack,” the bird flails about, getting tangled in nearby fruits and getting hit with another barrage of sticky seeds.
This ends with the bird losing its ability to fly and crashing to the ground near the bush. And waiting for it there is the viper. Sometimes, it lies in wait near the pizonia for weeks, biding its time for a meal.
Local hunters are well aware of the habits of these vipers. If they need to catch one for a zoologist, they don’t set up an ambush near the wild pizonia. Instead, they simply cut the bush and hang it from a tree in a convenient spot. They know that the viper will definitely come to investigate!