Vince_Adam Photography
Western Mangrove Cat Snake (Boiga melanota)
Length: 1.8m
Location: Peninsular Malaysia
Western Mangrove snake or gold-ringed cat snake (Boiga melanota) occurs mainly in mangrove or riverine habitats. By day it lies motionless on overhanging branches, but at night becomes active coming to the ground and feeding on other vertebrates including rodents, small birds and their eggs, frogs, bats and sometimes other snakes. It is also an adept swimmer.
This is a mildly venomous, rear-fanged species. Though it may appear quite docile by day it should not be approached too closely as some specimens may be unpredictable in temperament.
Various subspecies are identified for example B. d. melanota the yellow bands do not extend over the back but are confined to the flanks. From the Riau Archipelago, Indonesia including a specimen from Pulau Sugi with much reduced barring, and a specimen from Pulau Bintan with typical barring. This subspecies ranges from southern Thailand, through Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, to eastern Sumatra and the Riau Islands.
Western Mangrove Cat Snake (Boiga melanota)
Length: 1.8m
Location: Peninsular Malaysia
Western Mangrove snake or gold-ringed cat snake (Boiga melanota) occurs mainly in mangrove or riverine habitats. By day it lies motionless on overhanging branches, but at night becomes active coming to the ground and feeding on other vertebrates including rodents, small birds and their eggs, frogs, bats and sometimes other snakes. It is also an adept swimmer.
This is a mildly venomous, rear-fanged species. Though it may appear quite docile by day it should not be approached too closely as some specimens may be unpredictable in temperament.
Various subspecies are identified for example B. d. melanota the yellow bands do not extend over the back but are confined to the flanks. From the Riau Archipelago, Indonesia including a specimen from Pulau Sugi with much reduced barring, and a specimen from Pulau Bintan with typical barring. This subspecies ranges from southern Thailand, through Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, to eastern Sumatra and the Riau Islands.