A coiled bushmaster (Lachesis muta), the largest viper in the Americas, lies in wait on the damp forest floor near Otorongo Expeditions Lodge in Quebrada Orán, Peru. Its ridged dorsal spine and bold diamond pattern blend seamlessly with leaf litter under the beam of a headlamp, revealing the raw power and cryptic beauty that have earned this region its title: Peru’s Bushmaster Capital. Photographed during a night herping expedition, this apex predator embodies the untamed heart of the Amazon.