This is a King Rat Snake, aka
Elaphe carinata, aka Stinking Goddess (in Chinese). One of the largest (up to seven feet) and certainly heaviest snakes in Taiwan, it's venerated by farmers for its legendary rat-killing prowess, and can be found in open fields, meadows, paddies and the like.
After weeks of getting out of bed at the ass-crack of dawn to find one of these beasts in the open, only to meet with utter failure every single time, I finally spotted one last night way past dusk. (Who says fate has no sense of humor? This is supposed to be a
diurnal snake, for &%$#'s sake !!!) I had seen this species twice before, but both times firmly and deeply entrenched inside boulder walls.
But this one was just ambling along a low roadside wall when I biked by, so my chance for a nice photo op had finally come. That's not to say he didn't give his all to defend his race's fierce reputation, oh no. Hooking and re-hooking him onto the pavement and trying to wear out the heavyset, five-foot snake enough to hold still for a few pix was accompanied by much drama: thrashing, formidable hissing, heavy musking by the septic-tankload (1), and of course ferocious biting (the tongs, my shoe, even his own body), it was all part of the spectacle. When he finally calmed down, I think I was every bit as bushed as him. So, thanks again for the fight, dude. Way to finally get acquainted with your species!
(1)
The common name "stink snake" or "stinking Goddess" refers to this species' highly developed post-anal glands, that when picked up are frequently emptied, with a very strong, bad odor. (
Source)
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Profile
Login
Register
