As an IT professional, I often find myself under a lot of work pressure. When this happens, I like to take my camera and travel to different locations in the United Arab Emirates to capture some stunning photographs. Having lived in the UAE for the past two decades, I am well aware of the luxury lifestyle, luxury cars, and the busy life that defines the region. While I have been fortunate enough to travel a lot in the UAE and capture some breathtaking photographs, I was beginning to feel a bit burnt out with travel photography. I wanted to explore a new area, something different. That's when I stumbled upon the world of herping.
Herping is a niche area of photography that involves taking pictures of reptiles and amphibians. I was surprised to learn that very few people in the UAE were exploring this area, which made it even more exciting for me. I started to learn about the different types of reptiles and amphibians found in the region, and I began my search for them. Herping in the UAE is divided into two categories - the desert and the wadis and mountains.
During my research, I discovered that there are four types of vipers found in the UAE. Naturally, I was drawn to them, and so I started to learn about their habitats, behaviors, and patterns. I set out to find them and capture them through my lens. My first target was the Arabian Horn Viper, and I began my search by tracking their movements in the desert. I learned how to follow their tracks and eventually found them. There are two types of Arabian Horn Vipers - with horns and without horns. While it is easy to spot the ones without horns, finding the horned ones is a real gem. I was lucky enough to capture quite a few of them during my desert herping sessions.
The Saw Scale Viper is another viper that can be found in the vegetation areas and the desert. They are the seventh most venomous snake in the world, but I have seen over 1000 of them in the UAE, and none of them have ever been aggressive towards me. My third target was the Oman Carpet Viper, which was challenging to find as they live in the wadis and rocky areas. But after 30 minutes of searching, I was able to find one, and I was ecstatic. The real challenge, however, was finding the Persian Horn Viper, which lives above 800 meters above sea level. To find them, I had to climb the mountains at night. But during my first search, I was lucky to find two of them in the same day.
While there are many deadly species one can find in the desert and mountains, such as scorpions, I was also able to capture some cute mammals like the Cheeseman Gerbil. It was truly a remarkable experience to be able to capture these creatures through my lens and share their beauty with the world.
In conclusion, herping has been a refreshing change for me as a photographer. Exploring the world of reptiles and amphibians has been an exhilarating experience, and I am grateful to have been able to capture some stunning photographs of these creatures in their natural habitats. I hope to continue my herping journey and discover more hidden gems in the UAE.
#CerastesGasperettii #ArabianHornViper #OmaniCarpetViper #EchisOmanensis #Echis carinatus #sawscaleViper #PersianHornedViper #Pseudocerastes persicus
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