I still can’t believe how close I came to dying that day. I had almost reached for it — thinking it was just part of the leaves — but something made me stop. And thank God I did.

It turned out to be a Gaboon viper — one of the deadliest snakes in Africa, and the heaviest venomous snake in the world.

With its perfect camouflage, you’d never see it until it was too late. This snake can grow over 6 feet long, weigh nearly 18 pounds, and has the longest fangs of any snake — up to 2 inches. Its venom is devastating, destroying tissue and thickening blood dangerously fast.

While they’re usually calm and won’t strike unless provoked, one wrong step could be fatal. Most attacks happen by accident — and without fast treatment, the chances of survival are slim.

That morning, I came terrifyingly close. One second longer, and this could’ve been a very different story.