Two decades back, while our research team surveyed several mangrove-lined rivers for crocodiles, the mangrove snake, blunt-headed tree snake or the gold-ringed cat snake (Boiga dendrophila), locally known as binturan, can usually be observed twirling itself among the branches or twigs of mangroves waiting for its prey. Each time we get near the mangroves, we need to have a watchful eye for mangrove snakes might be present.

Image by Sebastian Bergmann via Flickr

The Snake Encounter

At one instance, a Japanese herpetologist joined our team in surveying the mangroves in Taritien River in Narra, South of Palawan, a known habitat of crocodiles. Along the way, one of our team members alarmed everybody upon seeing a mangrove snake lying motionless on a clump of mangrove leaves. It was a little less than two feet long. The Japanese expert on snakes motioned our boat operator to approach the snake with caution. We headed towards the snake apprehensive that it might chase us as locals thought the snake can attack ferociously. It didn’t. The Japanese expert caught it with his bare hands, clamping on its jaws firmly with his thumb and index finger while supporting the length of its body with another as the snake struggles from its captor. He held it for probably a minute or more then released it. We were afraid it would bite him or us but the snake just crawled on his pants as if nothing happened. It became tame! Our misconceptions were unfounded. We know nothing about snakes.

Mangrove Snake Characteristics

Mildly-venomous, the bite of the mangrove snake can cause intense swelling but no severe cases of hospitalization or fatalities have been reported. They can average in length from six to eight feet. It preys on bat, lizard eggs, and skink. It is oviparous, or an egg-laying snake.

Habitat and Distribution

Despite its name, mangrove snake is most often found in low brushes and branches of trees in lowland rainforests rather than mangrove swamps. The snake can be found all over Palawan and the islands of Luzon, Polillo, Sicogon, and Mindanao.

Current Status

Since that encounter with the snakes, I never saw or heard about them again. Human activity in the mangrove areas may have been much more frequent displacing the once ubiquitous mangrove snake from its natural habitat.