Venomous Snakes of Asia
Green Tree Pit Viper

Trimeresurus gramineus

Description:

Uniform bright green

Dull green

Light yellow facial lips

Characteristics:

Small arboreal snake

Not considered a deadly species

Most of its bites occur in the head, shoulder, and neck areas

Seldom comes to the ground

Feeds on young birds, lizards, and tree frogs

Habitat:

Dense rain forests

Plantations

The green tree pit viper is located throughout India, Burma, Malaya, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, and Formosa.

King Cobra

Ophiophagus hannah

Description:

Olive

Brown

Green

Ringlike crossbands of black

Characteristics:

Largest venomous snake in the world

Causes relatively few bites on humans

Appears to have a degree of intelligence

Avoids attacking another venomous snake for fear of being bitten

Feeds exclusively on harmless species

Female is highly aggressive toward anything that closely approaches her nest.

Powerful, neurotoxic venom

Without medical aid, death is certain for its victims

Habitat:

Dense jungle

Cultivated fields

The king cobra makes its home in Thailand, southern China, Malaysia Peninsula, and the Philippines.

Krait

Bungarus caeruleus

Description:

Black

Bluish-black

White narrow crossbands

Narrow head

Characteristics:

Found only in Asia

15 times deadlier than the common cobra

Active at night

Relatively passive during the day

Has a tendency to seek shelter in sleeping bags, boots, and tents

Powerful neurotoxic venom causes respiratory failure

Habitat:

Open fields

Human settlements

Dense jungle

The krait is exclusively distributed throughout India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

Malayan Pit Viper

Callaselasma rhodostoma

Description:

Reddish

Pink tinges toward the belly

Triangular-shaped, brown markings

Markings bordered with light-colored scales

Base of the triangular-shaped markings end at the midline

Dark brown, arrow-shaped markings on the top and each side of its head

Characteristics:

Long fangs

Ill-tempered

Responsible for many bites

Hemotoxic venom

Venom destroys blood cells and tissue

Moves into many areas in search of food

Greatest danger is stepping on the snake with bare feet

Habitat:

Rubber plantations

Farms

Rural villages

Rain forests

The Malayan pit viper makes its home in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Java, Sumatra, Malaysia, Vietnam, Burma, and China.

McMahon's Viper

Eristicophis macmahonii

Description:

Sandy buff color dominates the body

Darker brown spots on the side of the body

Broad nose shield aids in burrowing

Characteristics:

Very little is known about this species

Rare or seldom seen

Very irritable

Hisses, coils, and strikes at any intruder that ventures too close

Highly hemotoxic venom

Habitat:

Semidesert

Hides during the day's sun

Comes out only at night to feed on rodents

McMahon's viper resides in West Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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