Mangrove Cat Snake: Singapore Nature 2020

I filmed these two mangrove cat snakes towards the end of October in the same forested area in Singapore. The snake at the start and end of the video, was about 1.4m and in very good condition. The snake featured in the middle was nearer 2m and had a number of ticks on its head; it actually looked like it had tried to remove some of them..

Boiga dendrophila, commonly called the mangrove cat snake or the gold-ringed cat snake, is a species of rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to southeast Asia. It is one of the biggest cat snake species, averaging 6–8 feet (1.8–2.4 m) in length. It is considered mildly venomous. Although moderate envenomations resulting in intense swelling have been reported, there has never been a confirmed fatality. Despite its common name, mangrove snake, B. dendrophila is found more often in lowland rainforests than in the mangrove swamps from which its common name is derived.

Mostly nocturnal, B. dendrophila is a potentially aggressive snake. Even captive bred specimens can be nervous and may strike repeatedly. Although many specimens will calm down and allow handling, it is normally easily stressed and may refuse food for extended periods of time if disturbed. Handling, of course, should involve safety precautions for the handler, due to the snake's nervous nature and the fact that a bite can cause pain and injury and possibly worse. This is a venomous, rear-fanged species. Although by day it may appear quite docile it should not be approached too closely as some individuals may be unpredictable in temperament.

B. dendrophila has the following characters: Snout longer than eye; rostral more broad than deep, visible from above; internasals as long as or shorter than the prae-frontals; frontal as long as or slightly shorter than its distance from the tip of the snout; loreal as long as deep or more long; a praeocular extending to the upper surface of the head, not reaching the frontal; two postoculars; temporals 2 + 2 or 2 + 3; eight (nine) upper labials, third to fifth entering the eye; four or five lower labials in contact with the anterior chin-shields; latter as long as or longer than the posterior; anterior palatine teeth not much larger than the posterior. Scales in 21 rows, vertebral row enlarged; ventrals 209-239; anal entire; subcaudals 89. Black above, with yellow transverse bands, continuous or not extending across the back; labials yellow, with black edges. Lower surface black or bluish, uniform or speckled with yellow; throat yellow. Total length (including tail) 231 cm (7 ft 7 in).

B. dendrophila is found in Cambodia, Indonesia (Bangka, Belitung, Borneo, Java, Riau Archipelago, Sulawesi, Sumatra), Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Including the nominotypical subspecies, nine subspecies are recognized as being valid.

B. dendrophila feeds on reptiles, birds, and small mammals in the wild.

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Playlist:
Stellardrone - Cepheid (Light Years)

Videography:
Christian Bassett
Camera:
Sony 4K FDR-AX 700 Camcorder
Editing:
Christian Bassett