Boulenger's Bronze-back

About the Boulenger's Bronze-back

Dendrelaphis bifrenalis, also called Boulenger's bronzeback, Boulenger's bronze-back, and Travancore bronze-brown snake, is a colubrid snake native to Eastern Ghats of Southern India and Sri Lanka. It was first described by George Albert Boulenger in 1890. Dendrelaphis wickrorum from Sri Lanka was previously confused with this species.

This oviparous, diurnal and arboreal species can be found in trees, shrubs and bushes in wet and intermediate zones of lowlands to mid hills. However, there are references of finding it from Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Trincomalee of northern dry zone of Sri Lanka. It is often encountered on low vegetation, however, and it may also descend to the ground in search of food. Arboreal and feeds on frogs, geckos, skinks and agamid lizards. Sometimes descends to the ground, and it is said that when moving on the ground it has a peculiar habit of keeping its head and 1/8 of the forebody erect. These are very active and do not get panicked easily. Dendrelaphis is one of the quickest snakes to escape and hide, when exited they expose the skin underneath scales. Ventral keels help them to climb trees.

Cylindrical, narrow... Wikipedia →