The Oriental Whip Snake is superbly
camouflaged when set amongst bright green foliage.
A fully-grown 2-metre specimen from
Singapore's central forests.
A dull coloured, medium-length specimen
from Tioman Island, Peninsular Malaysia.
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A mildly venomous, yet
docile species, the Oriental Whip Snake is commonly found in forested and
rural areas. It feeds on vertebrates, including small nesting birds, lizards
and frogs. The young are born alive, and are brownish in colour.
Its profile is slim and
elegant, and adult colouration may vary from light brown to dull
yellow-green and often a startling fluorescent green. There is commonly a
thin pale line along the sides of the body. It is most commonly encountered
whilst sunning itself on secondary growth along the forest edge.
It can be distinguished
from the similar, and closely related, forest-dwelling
Big-eyed Green Whip Snake on the
basis of its smaller eye and other features.
The species ranges from
India to China and throughout Southeast Asia as far east as Sulawesi and the
Philippines.
Family : COLUBRIDAE
Species : Ahaetulla prasina
Maximum Size : 2 metres
References : H1, H2
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