Yellow-spotted Keelback Water Snake

Fascinating facts about the Yellow-spotted Keelback Water Snake

• F. flavipunctata occurs in rice fields and irrigation ditches, as well as swamps and other freshwater habitats.
• First described in an 1861 scientific report from the North Pacific Exploring Expedition, this snake’s type locality was recorded as the Island of Hong Kong and the Canton River in China. That early documentation links the species to historic trade routes, reminding us that biodiversity has long been intertwined with human movement across Asia.
• Its range includes Thailand, Myanmar, China, West Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, and a related form from Nepal is now considered a separate species.
• In parts of its range, the snake is harvested for snake farms, pig feed, and even snake wine, turning a wild animal into a commercial product. This exploitation underscores how cultural practices can directly affect wildlife populations, urging us to consider sustainable alternatives that protect both tradition and the species.

At a glance

About the Yellow-spotted Keelback Water Snake

The yellow-spotted keelback (Fowlea flavipunctata) occurs in Thailand, Myanmar, China, West Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. It is a diurnal, semiaquatic colubrid that lives in slow rivers, streams, marshes, swamps, ponds, lakes, rice fields and ditches, and feeds on fish and frogs. In parts of its range it is harvested for snake farms, pig feed, and snake wine.

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