Most people have never heard of the Albany adder—a small, venomous snake native to South Africa with a brilliantly patterned body and pointy eyebrows. The extremely rare reptile hadn't been seen in almost a decade, and scientists feared it was extinct—until now.

A team of herpetologists recently announced the discovery of a lifetime—four Albany adders, alive and well.

The expedition had set out last November to find the long-lost snake, and after a week of scouring bushes, lifting up rocks, and cautiously peeking into holes, team member Michael Adams spotted a six-inch-long female slithering across the road. (See "Pictures: New Horned Viper Found in 'Secret' Spot.")

“I don’t think we’ve hugged each other that much ever,” says Grant Smith, a