Cobra In Mangroves

Yang Shufen found this Equatorial Spitting Cobra (Black Spitting Cobra; Naja Sumatrana) near a mangrove at the southwest of Singapore Island on 13 September 2007. The following photographs were contributed by her.

Sivasothi encountered the same species (pictured below) in the mangroves of Sungei Mandai on 23 December 2005.

In Singapore, this species is frequently sighted in urban areas, but seems to be common in mangroves during low tides as well.

A Cobra Got Stuck!

A Black Spitting Cobra (Naja sumatrana) was spotted at a drain near Block 716 of Clementi West Street 2 today (9 June 2007) at about 10.30 am. This snake feeds on rats and thus can be commonly found in urban areas (Lim & Lim, 1992). Although this is a highly venomous species, it is reluctant to bite or spit venom unless we are too near for comfort. It is defensive rather than aggressive and will often put on a defensive pose to shoo us away when threatened. Accidents usually happen only when we stepped on them accidentally or tried to handle them intentionally. There are actually very few cases of cobra bites, even in densely populated Singapore (Lim & Lim, 1992). Leave it alone and it will leave you alone.

REFERENCES

Lim, K. K. P. & Lim, F. L. K., 1992. A Guide To The Amphibians & Reptiles Of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre, p. 82-83.

Stomping On Snakes

I entered "snake" in STOMP's search engine and realised that the site actually contained quite a number of snake sightings posted by the public:

Dead snake in the heart of Orchard Road
Posted on 15 October 2006
Species: Unknown (Dead)
Along Orchard Road

Python found in my car!
Posted on 14 January 2007
Sighted on 11 January 2007
Species: Reticulated Python
In a car at Capital Tower carpark

Snake on a car!
Posted on 18 January 2007
Species: Unknown
On a car radio antenna while travelling along Yio Chu Kang Road

Horror find in Zion Road Canal
Posted on 30 January 2007
Sighted on 30 January 2007
Species: Reticulated Python? (Dead)
Drifting along Zion Road canal

Snake spotted outside IKEA Alexandra
Posted on 21 February 2007
Sighted on 16 February 2007 1200 h
Species: Black Spitting Cobra
On grass near IKEA Alexandra

Snake spotted in drain
Posted on 12 April 2007
Sighted on 12 April 2007 0800 h
Species: Reticulated Python?
Swimming in monsoon drain near Kembangan MRT

Python captured, while snacking on cat
Posted on 19 April 2007
Sighted on 17 April 2007 evening
Species: Reticulated Python
Feeding on a cat in Bedok

Good grief! A python in Orchard Rd!
Posted on 04 May 2007
Sighted on 03 May 2007 0400 h
Species: Reticulated Python
Crossing footpath in Orchard Road

Two snakes caught at Sembawang Park
Posted on 13 May 2007
Sighted on 13 May 2007 1330 h
Species: Unknown
In the rafters of a shed at Semabawang Park

These sightings are important for us to understand the behavior and distribution of snakes. They are also pretty entertaining (Haha!). Stompers, thank you for your contribution.

A Snakeful Night

Luck was with me on 29 September 2006.

Five snakes in a night!

There was a Common Malayan Racer (Coelognathus flavolineatus) that was faster than F1 racer, escaped before a photograph can be taken.


A Equatorial Spitting Cobra (Naja sumatrana) with cloudy eyes, suggesting that the snake is about to shed its skin.


A Keel-bellied Whip Snake (Dryophiops rubescens) roadkill.


A juvenile King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) roadkill.


And finally ... the skeletal remains of a large Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus) in a monsoon drain.

Ok, I cheated a bit. But dead snakes are still snakes, and are important for locality recording purposes.

Sightings are from a northern offshore island of Singapore.

Previous sightings:

http://singaporesnakes.blogspot.com/2006/08/another-snake-roadkill.html
http://singaporesnakes.blogspot.com/2006/08/snake-roadkills-in-singapore_01.html

* All photographs from Mr Norman Lim and Mr Chim Chee Kong

Snake Roadkills in Singapore

Norman Lim sighted FOUR roadkills of different snake species on a single day (27 June 2006) on an offshore island of Singapore: Coelognathus flavolineatus (Common Malayan Racer), Dendrelaphis pictus (Painted Bronzeback), Naja sumatrana (Equatorial Spitting Cobra), and a Ophiophagus hannah (King Cobra) juvenile.

Snakes need to bask but these poor souls were probably enjoying a nice sun tan, when they were driven to their graves. Nobody knows how many snakes are killed this way in Singapore. Please drive safely, for the snakes.

Bad for snakes but good for scientists. Live snakes are hard to collect, thus dead specimens are extremely precious. Scientists can still collect loads of useful data from well-preserved specimens, without killing one. You can do your part for local conservation by reporting roadkills to the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research soon after your sighting.