It’s really the stuff of nightmares. You hear a snake hissing at you, but he’s high up in a tree. He can’t possibly get you, he’s all the way up there, and you’re on the ground, running away. You turn your head for a second, and when you turn back, there it is; your biggest fear. The snake is flying towards you. No, this isn’t science fiction; it is an actual genus of snake, called the Chrysopelea. Find a cooler snake than this, I dare you.

These snakes are absolutely fascinating because at first look, they actually look like they are flying. But, you ask, how can a vertebrae-less animal with no appendages at all fly? The answer is actually riveting.

Much like the flying squirrel, these snakes can’t exactly fly. They appear like they can, but they are actually just gliding. Chrysopelea like to climb trees to find prey, then, once they spot the food, they can launch themselves from the tree for an aerial attack on the poor unsuspecting prey. When the snake is in the tree, it wraps it’s tail around the limb of the tree, and lets itself hang. From there, there are three forms of takeoff for the snake. It can fall, which is the least effective, by simply letting go of the branch. It can dive, which is a small swing and launch forward, or it can jump, which is the most often studied and fascinating to watch.

Takeoff Methods

The usual jump for is called the “J loop takeoff”. In this method, the snake hangs from a tree, and curves its body near its head. The snake kind of twists itself so it’s body is faced toward the side with it’s head, curve, pointing forward towards where it wants to land. This creates the “J” shape, where it gets its name. To take off, the snake will shoot its head and body at an upward angle to create an arc. This arc usually takes the snake higher than its original takeoff point. As it swings upward, it releases the branch with its tail, and the snake begins its flight.

In the dive method, the snake starts in a very similar way, in a hang. From this point, the snake swings less, and doesn’t arc above its takeoff point. The snake aims its head towards the ground, and initiates flight that way. This method is studied less than the j loop takeoff, and is mostly used by the snake when the target is much closer to the tree it’s hanging from.

The fall takeoff is the most self-explanatory. In this maneuver the snake simply just lets go of the branch with its tail, with usually little to no movement. This is the fastest method of takeoff for the snake, which can be used when the prey is right under the branch the snake hangs from. This takeoff also suggests that the snake can use it when escaping predators, like predatory birds, and depending on species, mongoose.

The Flight

Now, here’s where the good stuff starts. After its chosen takeoff, how does the snake “fly”? Well, it starts off by flattening its under-belly. This flattening happens from the head, all the way down to the snake’s vent, or anus. This shape is generally required to be able to take flight. The shape is concave, or curving inwards, to allow the air more air to come underneath, slowing the snake’s decent. It is much like a planes wing in that it creates more air underneath to create lift, or in the snake’s case, air drag. If a regular round snake, incapable of flattening its belly, tried to do this, it would simply fall. The air would move right around the snake without creating the lift. The snake propels itself by whipping its tail back and forth very quickly, which is what makes it appear like it is flying, when indeed it is only gliding. When the snake’s stomach flattens, it acts like a birds wing, or like a parachute, and slows the decent while the snake propels itself towards its prey. One limitation of the flight, though, is that the snakes most likely can’t breath while in flight. During the flattening, the belly is pressed against the rips, allowing no room for air. If the snake were to breathe in, the curvature would be compromised and the snake would begin to fall.

The Kill

Like many other snakes and predatory animals in the animal kingdom, the snake attacks by going for the throat. The snake will bite the throat, and crush it with its jaws, paralyzing the prey. Like other snakes, Chrysopelea swallow their food whole. These snakes prey on animals like rodents, lizards, insects, and bird eggs, but tend to avoid frogs. Some species even eat other snakes as well.

Habitats

There are three different known species of Chrysopelea; C. Ornata, C. Paradisi, and C. Pelias. C. Ornata tends to live in tropical areas like Thailand, and have been known to use palm tress to hang, and launch themselves from. All forms of Chrysopelea are found in South or Southeastern Asia.

Venom

The Chrysopelea are only mildly venomous, and have not been reported to kill or harm a person yet. They are often killed by accident, however, by people who assume they are harmful and venomous. Some species are even cooked for food by the people of Thailand.

All in all this species of snake is fascinating. Just thinking about watching a snake flying down from behind me gives me the chills. However, if I had the opportunity to see one in a zoo, it would be the first habitat I visited.

Here is a short Youtube video of the snake flying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMs8Cu8PNKM

The Chrysopelea, mid-air.

All Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysopelea_ornata

http://icb.oxfordjournals.org/content/51/6/969.full

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysopelea