I never cease to marvel at the beauty of the world around us. I’m lucky enough to live outside the city limits, you see, so a short morning walk for me often takes me by hill and stream, over field and through woodland.

Put simply, being out in nature is great for reminding you just how spectacular life can be. And yet even when soaking up the sights, sounds, and smells on offer, it’s important to remain alert to potential dangers.

If any of you readers are seasoned walkers, you’ll be aware that there is a list of things to be mindful of when hiking. Always having water to hand, for example, or ensuring you’re equipped with bear spray (if applicable).

As someone who loves to take long walks in all seasons, I thought I was up to date regarding everything one can – and probably should – know before heading out the door.

That was until I spotted a photo doing the rounds to warn of a danger that many of us maybe wouldn’t consider. Considering where I live, it’s not something I need to worry about, but I thought it best to share the new information in case others ever find themselves in a situation when they might need it.

Now, given the sheer size and accessibility of the internet, it’s no wonder that images and videos achieve viral status on a daily basis.

An image from Missouri Wildlife, originally shared a few months back, certainly captured the attention of the masses thanks in no small part to its mysterious nature.

In the post, the department challenged internet users to find something carefully concealed amongst the leaves of the woodland floor. I’ll be the first to admit that I couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary in above image, but have a go yourself and see if you fare better.

Finished? Managed to find anything that stuck out?

Well, it turned out that there were a lot of people unable to find anything amiss in Missouri Wildlife’s picture, so they later clarified the matter with a follow-up post.

Suffice it to say that once you see what was hiding in their initial image, you’ll never unsee it!…

Hidden among the natural debris and foliage in the post was a Copperhead snake! Copperheads are masters at camouflage, blending in so well that the untrained eye has an extremely difficult time in picking them up.

The snakes can bite humans when they feel threatened, often causing temporary harm to muscles, circulation, and breathing. Fortunately, their attacks rarely prove fatal, though they’re responsible for over 2,900 of the 7,000-8,000 snake attacks that occur in the US every year.

So… next time you’re out in the wild, keep a careful eye on any leaf-strewn trails you might chance upon (providing you’re in an area where Copperheads live)!

I certainly never considered this before, and I had no idea that there was a snake lurking in the image above! Did you?