Cartwheeling snake? Video shows reptile’s unusual method to escape danger in Malaysia
Anyone who approaches a snake quickly becomes aware of the scaly reptile’s defense mechanisms. Some snakes slither away. Some poise to bite the approacher. Others stay still and hide in their surroundings.
This snake in Malaysia has a more unusual escape strategy: it cartwheels, according to a study published April 5 in the journal Biotropica.
The dwarf reed snake, or Pseudorabdion longiceps, is a tiny, “secretive and generally nocturnal snake,” researchers said. The reptile lives partially underground and hides among rocks, logs and leaves. It is found across Thailand, parts of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and other nearby islands.
Researchers spotted a dwarf reed snake near Mount Jerai in northern Malaysia and approached the creature, the study said. The “startled” snake began “throwing the coils of its body into a loop and began rolling to try and escape,” researchers said.
Cartwheeling, the snake got about 5 feet away in under five seconds, the study said. Still, it wasn’t quite fast enough.
The researchers captured the snake and put it on a flat area to see if it would cartwheel again. Repeatedly, the snake showed the same “rare escape mechanism,” the study said.
Another dwarf reed snake was filmed cartwheeling away from observers in Lenggong, an area about 105 miles southeast of Mount Jerai, researchers said. The YouTube video of this encounter shows the small snake twirling away after being tapped with a stick.
Researchers described the cartwheeling as a “novel escape behavior,” known anecdotally but not formally documented until now.
In order to cartwheel, the snake curls into an “S” shape then launches itself like a spring, the study said. It loops its body in the air, hits the ground and relaunches to keep the rolling momentum going.
Researchers explained this unusual behavior as a way for the snake to escape faster while potentially startling or confusing predators. Additionally, the cartwheeling movement leaves “a patchy scent trail” making it harder for scent-oriented predators to track the reptile, the study said.
Still, scientists say further research is needed to understand more about the cartwheeling defense mechanism.
Dwarf reed snakes are also known as the long-headed reed snake or Cantor’s dwarf reed snake, according to Thai National Parks authorities.
Mount Jerai is about 260 miles northwest of Kuala Lumpur, the country’s capital, and near the border of Malaysia and Thailand.
This story was originally published April 6, 2023 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Cartwheeling snake? Video shows reptile’s unusual method to escape danger in Malaysia."
