Paradise Flying Snake
Chrysopelea paradisi
15.474, 119.913
Field Notes
Description:
Colubridae; Chrysopelea; Chrysopelea paradisi Boie, 1827. Although I did not take this picture personally, but I am familiar with it as it is quite common here. It's common name, Paradise Flying Snake, is not an exact description as it can't truly fly. Some websites say that it glides, but having seen it, in the air, I can say that it has a very limited ability to slow its descent by flattening its body shape slightly. It is more like a parachute jump - it can really only go down with not too much directional control. This snake is very mildly venemous, but the venom is not harmful to humans (according to Wikipedia).
Habitat:
This snake, between 3ft and 4ft long, was spotted on a piece of land being cleared and levelled in preparation for a new solar power station.
Notes:
I did not take this photo. It was taken by my nephew (at his workplace), using his cell phone camera. He gave me a copy of the picture with his permission to publish it on Project Noah.
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