Shedao Island, located in the south of northeast China's Liaoning Province, is a part of the Shedao Laotieshan Nature Reserve and is home to thousands of a species that's endemic to the area: the Shedao pit viper. Now, as the weather gets hot and large flocks of migrating birds are arriving at the reserve, the pit vipers are becoming more active in their hunting.

According to Wang Xiaoping, a staff member at the reserve, the peak part of the bird migration period will start in late May, when the reserve will welcome thousands of migrating birds. The birds will stop and rest in the nature reserve, but meanwhile need to be careful for the hunting pit vipers. For some fierce birds, the pit viper will become the prey instead, and this is how a food chain forms.

(Cover image: A pit viper. /VCG)

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