Know about the snakes that can ‘fly'

Indian Express

10 hours ago

Most of us think of snakes as slithering creatures that stick to the ground—or maybe climb trees at most. But believe it or not, some snakes can actually glide through the air, moving from tree to tree like something out of a fantasy film. It sounds unbelievable, but it's genuine. These unusual reptiles are known as 'flying snakes'.
Okay, we acquiesce, the term 'flying' might be a bit misleading. These snakes don't actually have wings to soar like birds in the sky. What they do is even more fascinating—they launch themselves from high branches, flatten their bodies, and use their incredible flexibility to glide through the air, sometimes for distances as long as 30 metres (around 100 feet). That's longer than a blue whale!
The most commonly known species is the paradise tree snake (Chrysopelea paradisi), part of the Chrysopelea genus. These snakes are native to southern Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and parts of the Philippines and India.
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, flying snakes live in tropical forests and are very good at climbing trees. They often start their glide by hanging off a branch, making a J-shape with their bodies before launching into the air.
But how do they glide without wings? It's all in the movement. As the snake jumps, it spreads its ribs and flattens its body, like a living ribbon. It also wiggles from side to side in mid-air, which helps keep it stable and allows it to steer.
Scientists from Virginia Tech published a paper in the Journal of Experimental Biology in 2014, studying this motion and found that it's actually very efficient, using airflow and body control to stay aloft.
A 2020 study published in Nature Physics explains that this movement is much more complex than it looks. The gliding isn't just random falling—it's a carefully controlled movement that helps the snake land safely on its next tree or branch. This clever ability helps flying snakes escape predators, find food, and move through the forest faster than if they had to climb down and back up again.
You might be wondering—are they dangerous? Thankfully, these snakes are not harmful to humans. While they do have mild venom that helps them hunt small prey like lizards, frogs, and birds, they're not a threat to us. In fact, they're often helpful because they help keep insect and rodent populations in check.
These snakes are a great example of how amazing and strange nature can be. They show us that even animals we think we understand—like snakes—can evolve in surprising ways.
Without wings, without legs, they've found a way to move through the air, just using the shape of their bodies and clever physics. It's a reminder that there's still so much we don't know about the natural world.