FLYING SNAKES

Chrysopelea

Flying Snakes are a genus of colubrid snakes found anywhere from India to the Indonesian Archipelago. Flying snakes are a green to black color and measure about 4 Ft (3.3 M) long. Flying Snakes are known for their ability to glide. The snake achieves this by first finding a suitable launch site, typically high in a tree. Rough, downward facing scales on its belly allow it to climb up the bark of a tree. It then slithers to the end of a branch. Once it has done so, it hangs in a J shape and slings itself off of the branch. The snake flattens its body to form a wing and makes a serpentine motion to help keep itself stable in the air. By doing so, it can glide as far as 300 Ft (100 M,) and can even make sharp turns mid flight. They are believed to have better control than Flying Squirrels. The ability to glide possibly helps the snake escape predators or even catch prey.

Flying Snakes are considered mildly venomous, but is generally not potent enough to hurt a human. Although, if you are bitten by one of these snakes, it’s best that you seek medical attention, the venom may pose as an allergen. They feed on lizards, frogs, rodents, birds and bats.