Buff Striped Keelback

The buff striped keelback is a non-venomous colubrid found across Asia. It is typically non-aggressive and feeds on frogs and toads. It belongs to the water snake subfamily Natricinae and has been likened to an Asian version of the American garter snake. It is quite common but rarely seen. A small, slender snake, it is generally olive-brown to grey, with a short body and a long slender tail almost a quarter of its length (Wikipedia, general species account).

Two yellow stripes run along the sides of the spine and are especially bright on the second half of the body, while irregular blackish crossbars are prominent near the head and fade towards the tail. The sides of the head are yellow, the nape is red in the breeding season, and the forked tongue is black. The underside is pale cream. Nationally Least Concern (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).