Scientific Name
Rhabdophis nigrocinctus
Status
Least Concern
Size
Length: 60 - 95 cm
Diet
Carnivorous.
Primarily on frogs and tadpoles.
Appearance
A slender snake, with a distinctive color gradient, with a greenish, olive, or reddish-brown body at the front that transitions to a darker, grayish-brown toward the rear, marked with narrow, black crossbars.
Toxicology
Venomous and highly dangerous. A rear fanged snake that produces a potent venom, with the potential to cause fatal coagulopathy and hemorrhaging in humans.
Habitat
Moist, montane, and forested areas, particularly near streams, ponds, and swamps at elevations between 600m and 1000m.
Distribution.
Found throughout Thailand, particularly in mountainous and forested area.
Although sightings of these cats have been reported, they are rarely seen due to their habitat and behaviour. Nearly all sightings today are with camera traps.
The Black-banded Keelback snake, is a shy, diurnal and semi-aquatic snake. Mild-mannered but defensive when threatened, it mimics cobras by flattening its neck and lifting its head, and can emit a foul odor, though it prefers to escape rather than bite.
Apart from being venomous, it is also one of the few snake species that is also poisonous. The snake possesses nuchal glands on its neck that store cardio-tonic steroids (bufadienolides) derived from its diet, particularly toads. This makes them poisonous to predators.
