"What are we doing in the
forest?" Oh, sorry. To get to the swamps, first you have to ditch the canoe and hike through tropical forest. Watch your step. See that scorpion? Mark says a sting from this species could be lethal. But don't stop, otherwise your foot may be swarmed by fire ants. Their bite, Mark says, feels like a hot needle driving into your flesh. (Those are bite marks on his foot.) Don't brush up against any shrubs either, like the spiky-leaved plant at right, or any trees for that matter. That rash on Mark's left arm? From a toxic tree resin. Oh, and keep an eye out for the fer-de-lance. It's a large, deadly, and highly aggressive pit viper.
