Identification:
Physical Characteristics:
This venomous snake is relatively large, typically exceeding 1 meter in length. It has a large, short head that is not distinctly separated from the neck. Its eyes are relatively small and round. The body is often heavy, with a short tail and a rounded tail tip. A prominent dorsal ridge runs along the midline of the back. The dorsal scales are hexagonal, larger than the lateral scales. The body exhibits alternating black and yellow bands of approximately equal width.
Biology and Ecology:
This is a widespread venomous snake species, one of the most common in plains, midlands, and mountainous regions. It inhabits forests and areas near human settlements, often found in higher terrains adjacent to water sources. They live in abandoned burrows of rodents or termites, found on field edges, mounds, riverbanks, dikes, gardens, bamboo thickets, and ponds. During the cold, dry season, they are typically solitary, but sometimes two or three individuals may share a burrow, and occasionally cohabitate with common frogs. The snakes shed their skin throughout the year, typically within their burrows. They are nocturnal hunters, preying on other snakes and sometimes lizards. In northern Vietnam, mating begins in January or February. They lay eggs inside the burrow in May or June, with an average of 9 eggs (ranging from 4 to 16). The mother snake coils around the eggs to guard them, while still needing to forage for food. Hatchlings appear in July or August and are typically 30-35 cm long. The snake is slow-moving and rarely bites people during the day, but its venom is highly toxic, with a potency four times that of a cobra.
Distribution:
Within Vietnam: Widely distributed in plains, midlands, and mountainous regions.
Worldwide: Northeastern India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Brunei, Darussalam, Bhutan, Myanmar, southern China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Borneo).
Value:
This species possesses scientific and aesthetic value and acts as an agent of ecological balance within its natural environment.
Status:
The population has declined by at least 50%, coupled with a reduction in habitat quality, both historically and currently, due to environmental exploitation, urbanization, infrastructure development, intensive hunting, and illegal trade.
Classification:
EN A1c,d (Endangered)
Conservation Measures:
Listed in the supplementary list of Decree 32/HDBT, Group IB, classified as an animal species strictly prohibited from exploitation and use. Strict enforcement of bans on hunting, trading, and slaughter is required. Establishing collective breeding farms and encouraging family-based rearing in snake-catching villages is recommended.