SPECIES PROFILE

Name: the oriental whip snake (Ahaetulla prasina) is a slender snake native to South East Asia. It is also known as the Asian vine snake, Boie’s whip snake, Gunther’s whip snake, and more recently, the Judgemental Shoelace!

Appearance: these snakes are extremely thin and resemble curling vines. They have long, pointed snouts and can be brown, green, or a bright yellow-green colour.

Size: adult whip snakes can reach up to 1.8 m long.

Diet: their diet is made up of small birds, frogs, and lizards.

Did you know: oriental whip snakes are highly adaptable and are happy living alongside humans. They are mildly venomous but are not considered a threat to people. Unfortunately, whip snakes are hunted for medicinal use and are captured for sale as pets. This is a particular issue in Vietnam where they are often used in the preparation of snake wine and traditional medicines.

Location: they are found across South East Asia and can live in a range of different types of habitat from scrublands and forests, to agricultural areas and even cities. 

Where TO SEE oriental whip snakes

According to reports submitted to WildSide, you can see oriental whip snakes in the following places:

Photo credit: budak under a Creative Commons license from Flickr