Trip to Ubon Ratchathani, Not Intending to Snake Hunt
Trip to Ubon Ratchathani, Not Intending to Snake Hunt
I just returned from a trip to Ubon in the northeast. Though I didn’t do any active snake hunting, in two days I saw two snakes. The first was a striped keelback that I passed on the road, I thought it was hit by the wheel of a motorbike.
I circled around and found it struggling to pull its teeth out of a fresh road-killed frog on the pavement. It was trapped there, looking at me and frantically trying to unsnag his teeth. Finally, it did so and disappeared in the tall grass. Lovely snake…
The second, I had just stopped to put on my rain poncho on the side of the highway and a 2-meter Ptyas carinatus – black as coal, came out of the grass by a pool of water and mud – and crossed the dirt road I stopped on – not more than 3 meters from me. Awesome.
I didn’t chase it, as it also disappeared into thick vegetation.
I’d say snake hunting in the northeast is probably more productive than it is in the south during the heavy rains.
Another report, this one from down south… While I was away in Ubon, 1600km northeast… I got a call from a friend that he had just caught a 2-meter king cobra and did I want to come and pick it up??
HA! Damn me! I could have died… that’s just the size of king I wanted to see too…
Oh well, it doesn’t often happen that snakes are found when you’re looking, but even less when you’re not looking. The snakes seem to be out and about at the moment. The ID requests here at Thailand Snakes are going through the roof, but it’s fun seeing all the photos. If you’ve got some – send ’em!
Cheers,
Vern
i live in pak nam chumpon weve had numerous snakes on my land plenty of cobras one of them challenged me but i backed away and it went its own way, next door neighbour did kill worrisons viper in my garden it would not go!
also had blue krait here about 4 foot long it was blue and black not black and white as in your photograph!
Hi Ste,
The Worrison’s viper – doesn’t come up in a Google search. I’ve certainly not heard of it. Which snake are you talking about? The Malayan pit viper?
You had a 4 foot blue and black krait where? In the ocean by your home, or in your yard? They do come to land to lay eggs, but they do that on cliffs, other areas near the ocean. Are you right beside it in Chumphon?
Thanks for your comments.
Vern