Hiking Hong Kong Snakes

I have decided to expand on this section as there is a real lack of information on snakes in Hong Kong. Please be patient as this section expands bit by bit as I write the content for it.

The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) probably have the best information to date on snake species in Hong Kong, however it is very disorganized and difficult to link an image of the snake to the name of the snake without opening multiple windows and getting very confused.

The AFCD inform us that there are 14 native venomous land snakes in Hong Kong, and of those 14, only 8 can inflict fatal bites (if not treated in time). All of the sea snakes in Hong Kong are highly venomous, however they are rarely seen.

I have recently found out through a local Doctor that there has only ever been one fatality from a snake bite in Hong Kong which is very reassuring.

Below is a comprehensive list of snakes in Hong Kong along with how venomous / lethal they are.

Family	Common Name	Scientific Name	Venomous/Lethal
Viperidae	Bamboo Pit Viper / Bamboo Snake	Trimeresurus (=Cryptelytrops) albolabris	Venomous / Rarely Lethal
	Mountain Pit Viper	Trimeresurus (=Ovophis) monticola makazayazaya	Venomous / Lethal
	Taiwan Habu Snake / Point-scaled Pit Viper	Trimeresurus (=Protobothrops) mucrosquamatus	Venomous / Lethal
Elapidae	Banded Krait	Bungarus fasciatus	Highly Venomous / Lethal
	Chinese Cobra	Naja atra	Highly Venomous / Lethal
	Coral Snake	Calliophis macclellandi	Highly Venomous / Lethal
	King Cobra	Ophiophagus hannah	Highly Venomous / Lethal
	Many Banded Krait	Bungarus multicinctus multicinctus	Highly Venomous / Lethal
Hydrophiidae	Banded Sea Snake	Hydrophis cyanocinctus	Highly Venomous
	Ornate Sea Snake	Hydrophis ornatus	Highly Venomous
	Slender Sea Snake	Hydrophis gracilis	Highly Venomous
	Spine-bellied Sea Snake / Hardwicke's Sea Snake	Lapemis curtus	Highly Venomous
	Viperine Sea Snake	Praescutata viperina	Highly Venomous
	Yellow Bellied Sea Snake	Pelamis platurus	Highly Venomous
Boidae	Burmese Python	Python molurus bivittatus	Non-Venomous
Colubridae	Anderson's Stream Snake	Opisthotropis andersonii	Non-Venomous
	Banded Stream Snake	Opisthotropis balteata	Non-Venomous
	Banded Wolf Snake	Lycodon subcinctus	Non-Venomous
	Bicoloured Stream Snake	Opisthotropis lateralis	Non-Venomous
	Brown Burrowing Snake / Rufous Burrowing Snake	Achalinus rufescens	Non-Venomous
	Buff-striped Keel-back	Amphiesma stolatum	Non-Venomous
	Chequered Keelback	Xenochrophis piscator	Non-Venomous
	Chinese Mountain Snake	Sibynophis chinensis chinensis	Non-Venomous
	Chinese Slug Snake	Pareas chinensis	Non-Venomous
	Common Rat Snake	Ptyas mucosus	Non-Venomous
	Common Water Snake / Chinese Water Snake	Enhydris chinensis	Mildly Venomous
	Common Wolf Snake	Lycodon aulicus	Non-Venomous
	Copperhead Racer	Elaphe radiata	Non-Venomous
	Diamond-Backed Water Snake	Sinonatrix (=Natrix) aequifasciata	Non-Venomous
	Golden Kukri Snake	Oligodon cinereus cinereus	Non-Venomous
	Greater Green Snake	Cyclophiops major	Non-Venomous
	Grooved-neck Keelback	Rhabdophis nuchalis nuchalis	Non-Venomous
	Indo-Chinese Rat Snake	Ptyas korros	Non-Venomous
	Jade Vine Snake	Ahaetulla prasina	Mildly Venomous
	Large Spotted Cat Snake	Boiga multomaculata	Mildly Venomous / Non-Lethal
	Mangrove Water Snake	Enhydris bennettii	Mildly Venomous / Non-Lethal
	Mock Viper	Psammodynastes pulverulentus	Mildly Venomous / Non-Lethal
	Mountain Keelback	Amphiesma atemporale	Non-Venomous
	Mountain Water Snake	Sinonatrix (=Natrix) percarinata percarinata	Non-Venomous
	Mountain Wolf Snake	Lycodon ruhstrati ruhstrati	Non-Venomous
	Northern Reed Snake	Calamaria septentrionalis	Non-Venomous
	Painted Bronze Back	Dendrelaphis pictus pictus	Non-Venomous
	Plumbeous Water Snake	Enhydris plumbea	Mildly Venomous / Non-Lethal
	Red Mountain Racer	Elaphe porphyracea nigrofasciata	Non-Venomous
	Red-Necked Keelback	Rhabdophis subminiatus helleri	Venomous / Lethal (if bitten by it's rear fangs)
	Speckle-bellied Keelback	Rhabdophis chrysargos	Non-Venomous
	Striped Stream Snake	Opisthotropis kuatunensis	Non-Venomous
	Taiwan Kukri Snake	Oligodon formosanus	Non-Venomous
	White-Browed Keelback	Amphiesma Boulengeri	Non-Venomous
	White-Spotted Slug Snake	Pareas Margaritophorus	Non-Venomous
Cylindrophiidae	Red-tailed Pipe Snake	Cylindrophis ruffus	Non-Venomous
Typhlopidae	Common Blind Snake /  Iron-wire Snakes	Ramphotyphlops braminus	Non-Venomous
	Lazell's Blind Snake	Typhlops lazelli	Non-Venomous
	White-Headed Blind Snake	Ramphotyphlops albiceps	Non-Venomous

Banded Krait - Bungarus fasciatus

The Banded Krait will most often be found in Villages due to supply of rodents and close proximity of water, however they prefer to reside in open fields. They commonly live in termite mounds and rodent holes close to the waters edge. They are found in a few areas in the New Territories, Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island.

The Banded Krait can be easily identified by alternate black and yellow bands which run down it's triangular shaped body. It's throat is yellow, it has black eyes, and a yellow arrow head marking on the top of it's broad head.

The Banded Krait can grow to a length of about 1.8 metres. The tail tapers off to the size of a finger tip.

This is a venemous snake, however since it is nocturnal and very shy in nature at that, it is rarely seen. If you come across them during the day, they will generally run away or back off. You will find them lying in the grass or curled up in a drain. They are most commonly seen during the rainy season. At night however, when they are more active, they can strike out at you.

The Banded Krait feeds mainly on other snakes such as the Chequred Keelback, Buff-Striped Keelback, Rat Snake, Indo-Chinese Rat Snake or the Cat Snake. It may also eat fish, frogs and snake eggs.

Chinese Cobra - Naja atra

The Chinese Cobra can be found during the day, however it usually hunts at night. You will generally find it in grasslands, shrubs or mangroves. It will also hide under piles off wood or other similar objects. They are widely distributed throughout Hong Kong.

The Chinese Cobra is usually dark brown or black in color. Sometimes it may be grey. They usually have a marking on the back of their head or neck that resembles an eye.

They can grow up to a length of about 1.5 metres. The tail tapers off to the size of a finger tip.

Chinese Cobras are venemous, and will strike out when disturbed, raising their head and body, inflating their hood and hissing loudly. This species of snake however, rarely causes death due to the widely available antivenom.

The Chinese Cobra feeds mainly on fish, amphibians, birds and small mammals, as well as other snakes.

Chinese Mountain Snake (Sibynophis chinensis chinensis)

The Chinese Mountain Snake can be found on forest floors or plantations. This particular snake was seen on Hong Kong Trail Stage 1.

It's head is triangular and it's body is rather slim, with a very long tail. It's head is dark brown with some black markings and it's body is a grey-brown to brown color.

This snake can grow up to 72cm in length, which is quite short. The tail is long and thin.

Chinese Mountain Snakes are non-venemous. They move fast and will generally flee when you get close to them.

This species of snake feeds on frogs, lizards, and other snakes.

Common Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosus)

The Common Rat Snake is mostly found in urban areas where a large number of rodents can be found. The one pictured below, for example, was found in Wo Tin, a very small village near the Silvermine Bay Waterfall Garden.

It can be identified by the transverse bars over it's pale brown body.

This snake can grow up to a length of about 10 feet. The one pictured below was about 6 feet in length.

The common rat snake is non-venemous and is not dangerous to humans. They may strike out and become aggressive.

It feeds mainly on rodents.