This is a highly diverse snake species that is widely distributed in Vietnam. So what is its identity, and is it really dangerous?
Recently, a large Facebook page shared an image of a snake showing its back and belly, accompanied by an interesting question: “Can anyone tell me what kind of snake this is? Is it venomous? My brother just got bitten by it.”
This question attracted a lot of interest and comments from many people, including a humorous comment: “If bitten by this snake, quickly find a ripe banana to eat right away, because later you can only offer green bananas.” (see the image below).
Humorous comment about the mysterious snake. (Photo: Thành Luân).
So what is the truth about this snake? Is it really venomous?
In reality, this is a gentle, harmless snake despite having fangs, and it is not deadly as the humorous comment suggests. The name of this snake species is Oligodon octolineatus (commonly known as the striped kukri snake).
A distinctive feature that helps us differentiate the striped kukri snake from other kukri snakes is its belly, which has many small orange-red spots. This striking coloration often leads to confusion with venomous snake species.
In fact, the striped kukri snake poses no danger to humans, even though it has sharp fangs (it belongs to the rear-fang snake category, meaning its fangs are located deep in the jaw). These fangs are primarily designed for breaking the shells of eggs, which are their favorite food.
Although it resembles venomous snakes and has sharp fangs similar to the kukri, a special type of knife from Nepal (hence this snake is also called the kukri snake in English), its fangs are… harmless to humans!
Some kukri snake species. (Photo: Reptile Village).
The reason these fangs are harmless to humans is that they are connected to the Duvernoy’s gland, which is located behind the jaw, just below the snake’s eyes (a type of gland commonly found in water snake families). This gland does not contain any venom dangerous to humans.
The striped kukri snake is found in East and Southeast Asia, and we also have this species in Vietnam. Currently, there are about 78 recognized species of kukri snakes worldwide, with over 20 species residing in Vietnam, including: the false striped kukri (Oligodon pseudotaeniatus), the striped kukri (Oligodon taeniatus), the large-tailed kukri (Oligodon macrurus), and the sand kukri (Oligodon arenarius)…
With their beautiful patterns, kukri snakes are often kept as pets by reptile enthusiasts.
