Also known as Günther’s Whip Snake, the Asian Vine Snake (Ahaetulla prasina [Boie, 1827]) is a long, thin snake found widely in South and Southeast Asia. It lives in trees and bushes in countries like China, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. In the Philippines, three subspecies have been recorded, including in Sulu and Palawan.
The Asian Vine Snake is mildly venomous, but it rarely harms humans. It has a very slender, whip-like body. Its scales can be brown, pale yellow, or green, helping it blend in with leaves and branches. It can grow up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) long. It has a long, pointed snout and narrow, horizontal pupils.
The snake’s scales are arranged in 15 rows on its back. It usually has 203–234 belly scales (ventrals) and 167–203 scales under its tail (subcaudals). The pattern of scales on the sides of its head varies.
This snake lives in trees in tropical and subtropical forests, as well as in farms, grasslands, and shrubs. It can be found in both rural and urban areas or anywhere with lots of plants, vines, and branches. Sometimes, people keep these snakes as exotic pets in cages.
The Asian Vine Snake mainly eats lizards, frogs, and small birds. It gives birth to live young (ovoviviparous), which are already active and independent when born (precocial).
Unfortunately, the Asian Vine Snake is threatened by deforestation, pollution, and illegal hunting.
By: MMCaña, AALimpiada, JBBalatibat 2025