Isn't there some island near there that is uninhabited by humans but overrun with a snake similiar to the fer-de-lance? I forget the name of the snake,but there was a National Geographic special about it. You have to get a government permit to go to it. I remember now,it was near Brazil. I think the snake was a golden lance. The island was just crawling with them.
Here you go....its interesting:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/fieldtales/snakeisland/