Sri Lankan Flying Snake

The Sri Lankan flying snake, or Indian flying snake, is a gliding colubrid found in Sri Lanka and peninsular India. Like all snakes of its genus it glides by flattening its body into a strip using its ribs. Its Sinhala name, dangara dandaa, refers to its folding postures. It is a medium-sized snake of 60 to 90 cm with a depressed head and large round-pupilled eyes. The back is greenish yellow or pale green, with orange to red spots between dark cross bands (Wikipedia, general species account).

In Sri Lanka it occurs in the dry zone lowlands and parts of the intermediate zone, at places including Polonnaruwa, Wilpattu National Park, Sigiriya, Kurunegala, Jaffna, Trincomalee and Monaragala. It was believed to be endemic to Sri Lanka until specimens were recorded from Andhra Pradesh and in the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu. Nationally Least Concern (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).