UDUPI : A golden coloured snake, with black and red stripes over its body, made its way to a small eatery in Malpe on Tuesday. It was greeted by the screams of onlookers. Soon, with a snake expert at the place, people gathered courage to take a look this non-poisonous golden tree snake. Later it was released in the
Western Ghats. The snake’s scientific name is Chrysopelea Ornate. Local man Babu Kola, who has some knowledge and experience of rescuing snakes, was first on the site.
However, he could not figure the variety of snake it is as it is rarely found in the coastal region. Later, another expert, Gururaj Sanil, arrived at the spot and was surprised to see the golden tree snake.
Gururaj Sanil said the snake would have come through a vegetable supplying vehicle after falling from a tree, as most vegetable transporting vehicles come from Malnad to Udupi.
Sanil said the golden tree snake feeds on a variety of prey like lizards and birds. This was the first time he was rescuing this snake in Udupi, he said. Sanil, who has rescued 25,000 snakes so far, majority of them being cobras, said the colour of the golden tree snake was so mesmerizing and that it helps it to blend into the surroundings. “It can be difficult to spot them,” he said.
Golden tree snakes jump from one branch at a higher altitude to another at a lower altitude. “Golden tree snakes are called flying snakes but they cannot actually fly. They flatten out their body and form cavity with their underbelly. They then twist in the air and jump. They usually do this when they catch sight of prey,” said Sanil.