Snakes of Singapore: Field Notes From My Night Walks

Singapore is a small, crowded island, and it’s full of snakes. I’ve been photographing them on walks along the Central Catchment area, and this is my field guide: how to recognise them, which ones are venomous, and what to do if you meet one. 

Singapore has around 67 native snake species, and only seven of them are venomous. Most are shy and want nothing to do with you.

Safety first
Never try to catch, move or handle a snake. If one needs help, call NParks’ 24-hour Animal Response Centre (1800-476-1600) or ACRES (9783-7782). [verify the numbers are current]
Stay calm and back away slowly. Snakes generally want to leave.
Look before you touch. Check branches and railings before you grab them, and wear closed shoes.
For a bite, go to hospital or call 995 straight away.

 

Blue Malayan coral snake (Calliophis bivirgatus ssp flaviceps)

This is the one everyone wants to see. It has a dark navy back, a powder-blue stripe along each side, a coral-red underside, and a bright red head and tail. In Singapore it’s found in the Central Nature Reserves and the Western Catchment Area.
It is venomous, and it deserves respect. A local wildlife expert reports that the people he knew who were bitten had been trying to catch one. He says two of them had severe pain for around half a day, with swelling. The rule is simple: look, photograph from a distance, and leave it alone.

Wagler's Pit Viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri)

This is the venomous snake I meet most often in the Central Catchment. At Thomson Nature Park I almost always find one on a night walk. It sits motionless on a branch or in low vegetation, so look before you lean on a railing or grab a branch. 

Venomous snake, so stay at safe distance and consider it can lunge 90% of its body forward if needed 

Bonus: I'm currently at most obs on iNaturalist in Singapore for this species

Reticulated Python (Malayopython reticulatus)

Spotted in Singapore’s green corridors, it's the world's longest snake. Despite its size, its intricate geometric pattern acts as master-level camouflage in the tropical undergrowth. A quiet giant thriving right alongside the Lion City

Sunbeam Snake (Xenopeltis unicolor)

Xenopeltis unicolor, commonly known as the sunbeam snake, common sunbeam snake or iridescent snake,is a non-venomous sunbeam snake species found in Southeast Asia and some regions of Indonesia. Harmless, with scales that shimmer like an oil slick in torchlight. It’s found across Southeast Asia and is a burrowing species, so seeing one on the surface at night is a treat

Paradise tree snake (Chrysopelea paradisi)

It can, like all species of its genus Chrysopelea, glide by stretching the body into a flattened strip using its ribs. It is mostly found in moist forests and can cover a horizontal distance of 10 meters (33 feet) or more in a glide from the top of a tree. Slow motion photography shows an undulation of the snake's body in flight while the head remains relatively stable, suggesting controlled flight. They are mildly venomous with rear fangs and also can constrict their prey, which consists of mostly lizards and bats

Sunda King Cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus)

Royalty in Singapore’s rainforest: the Sunda King Cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus), the world’s longest venomous snake. Elusive and misunderstood, this apex predator mainly hunts other snakes, playing a vital role in keeping the island's wild ecosystems in balance

Keeled rat snake (Ptyas carinata)

Swift and imposing in Singapore’s forests: the Keeled Rat Snake (Ptyas carinata), the largest of all rat snakes, growing up to 4 meters long. Non-venomous and remarkably agile, this diurnal hunter glides through the undergrowth keeping the island's rodent populations in check

Kopstein bronzeback (Dendrelaphis kopsteini)

Dendrelaphis kopsteini, also known commonly as Kopstein's bronzeback snake, is a species of snake in the subfamily Ahaetuliinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to Southeast Asia. It's  is the only species in its genus with red coloration on the anterior part of the body

Malayan Bridle snake (Lycodon subannulatus)

A nocturnal gem of Singapore’s forests: the Malayan Bridle Snake (*Lycodon subannulatus*). Harmless and arboreal, this slender climber uses its striking banded pattern to mimic venomous kraits, navigating the dark tropical canopy to hunt lizards and frogs after sunset. 

Brahmini blind snake 

Indotyphlops braminus, commonly known as the brahminy blind snake, is a non-venomous blind snake species, found mostly in Africa and Asia, and has been introduced in many other parts of the world. It is a completely fossorial (i.e., burrowing) reptile, with habits and appearance similar to an earthworm, for which it is often mistaken and shares convergent evolution with, although close examination reveals tiny scales and eyes rather than the annular segments characteristic of a true earthworm. The species is parthenogenetic and all known specimens have been female.

Pink headed reed snake

Hidden beneath Singapore’s forest leaf litter: the Pink-headed Reed Snake (Calamaria schlegeli). This tiny, harmless burrower is a master of Batesian mimicry—sporting a vivid red head and dark body to imitate the venomous Blue Malayan Coral Snake and deter hungry predators. 

Twin-barred tree snake (Chrysopelea pelias)

This is a species of colubrid snake found in Southeast Asia. It is also called the banded flying snake. It can glide, as with all species of its genus Chrysopelea, by stretching the body into a flattened strip using its ribs. It is fully arboreal, mostly found in moist forests, and can cover a horizontal distance of about 100 metres in a glide from the top of a tree. It is an oviparous snake.

Mangrove pit viper (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus)

Coil-perched in Singapore’s coastal swamps: the Shore Pit Viper , also known as the Mangrove Pit Viper. Displaying striking color variations from deep purple to olive, this venomous ambush predator relies on heat-sensing pits to hunt birds, frogs, and rodents in the twilight stillness of the intertidal mangroves.

FAQ

Are there venomous snakes in Singapore? Yes. Seven of the native species are venomous, including the king cobra, blue Malayan coral snake, Wagler’s pit viper and mangrove pit viper.