Beijing

Snakes of Beijing

chinese_mountain_viper.jpg
Last weekend your correspondent was walking in the mountains southwest of Badaling, around the border between Hebei Province and Beijing. I saw three different snakes.

One of them had brown and white stripes and was about 30 cm long. I did not see its head. One had a triangular head, and green-brown body, with a green-and-black diamond pattern. The other disappeared too quickly to notice colors and shapes.

There is very little information online about snake species in the wild in China. Many of the Google results searching for 'China snake species' are news articles about snakes as food items. The image reproduced here (from Philip Colla Photography) shows a Chinese Mountain Viper (Protobothrops jerdoni), which may be the second snake mentioned above, although it seems a little too yellow.

If any Danwei readers know of information sources about snake species in the Beijing area, or can help with identification, please leave a message in the comments or email jeremy at danwei dot org.

UPDATE: Thanks to Hetoucai's comments to this post, Danwei has been able to compile a brief field guide to the snakes of Beijing.

 
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Comments on Snakes of Beijing

北京常见的蛇类

(有毒)

赤链蛇:Dinodon rufozonatum(Cantor)是我国分布最广的蛇类之一。北京地区各郊区县都有分布,过去是广布于我市的一种蛇类,八十年代在三环路内一些园林内还有发现,与其夜行性不易被人发现有关。可能因为其喜栖旧房舍的习性,大批房屋翻建,现已数量不多,只在一定区域形成种群,在很多地区已经绝迹。
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虎斑颈槽蛇:formosanus 是我国南北方广布的一种中型游蛇,过去认为它是一种无毒蛇,后发现虽不致命,但可使被咬伤口流血不止;毒液溅入眼中,可使角膜充血肿痛。在北京地区该蛇分布最广,数量最多,各郊县都有发现;在很多水域附近是优势种,有时与红点锦蛇互为优势种,但不攻击人,少见蛇伤报道。
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短尾蝮:Gloydius brevicaudus 别名草上飞。是我国南北广为分布的一种剧毒蛇,是造成蛇伤的主要蛇种。一般不主动攻击人,因其行动较迟缓,常在人们误踩到或触摸到它时造成蛇伤。在北京市主要分布于西北部山区,近年不断有蛇伤报道,与人们扩展旅游区、野外休闲的兴起有一定关系。
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(无毒)

白条锦蛇:Elaphe dione (Pallas) 我国北方广布的无毒蛇,生活力强,耐饥渴。北京各郊县都有分布,很常见。
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团花锦蛇:Elaphe davidi 生活于山区近水河谷地带,性暴躁,受惊时头呈三角形,常被误认为毒蛇,是较稀有的一种无毒蛇,捕食蜥蜴、鼠类和鸟卵。

分布于我国北方省区,数量很少,北京地区亦很少见,只在怀柔云蒙山区、延庆松山等西北部山区有零星发现。
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玉斑锦蛇:Elaphe mandarinus广布于我国华北华东华南地区。是北京地区稀有种类,仅在密云和怀柔云蒙山区、海淀香山樱桃沟部分地区有少量发现。
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