Keeled Rat Snake

The keeled rat snake is a large species found in lowland to highland rainforests across Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Singapore, Borneo and Indonesia. Its colour ranges from greyish to olive brown, with thin dark bands that begin from mid-body that become more pronounced and highly keeled towards its tail. An aggressive species, this rat snake will hiss loudly and puff its throat to appear larger, especially when cornered and unable to flee. Consequently, locals often confuse this species with king cobras. Active during the day or night, it feeds mostly on lizards, frogs and rodents. It also thrives in old secondary forests and semi-disturbed areas, such as plantations.