Singapore home to 64 native snake species, but roadkill a major threat to them

SINGAPORE - Snakes on a plane probably have a better chance of survival than they would on roads in Singapore.

They top the list of roadkill incidents, with 499 dead snakes found between 2021 and 2024. During the same period, 152 lizards, 115 amphibians and 27 turtles were also found as roadkill.

These findings were part of

The Herpetological Society of Singapore’s (HSS) Herptile Roadkill project,

started in 2021 to find out what types of herpetofauna – or amphibians and reptiles – most often wind up as roadkill, and where they are the most vulnerable.

For the project, HSS encourages anyone who comes across roadkill to take a photo and report it via an online form.

Among animals, herpetofauna, or herps for short, are especially at risk of becoming roadkill as they often move slowly, thus increasing their chances of getting hit by a vehicle.

These cold-blooded animals are also drawn to roads paved with concrete or asphalt, which absorb a lot of heat from the sun.

HSS president Kamalakannan Raja said many snakes may be spotted as roadkill because some species like pythons and cobras are often larger in size than other herpetofauna, which makes them easier to spot after being run over.

“Snakes have always been at the top of the list every year, with reticulated pythons being the highest in the snake category,” said Mr Raja.

The changing climate may also impact roadkill figures here.

HSS generally sees more roadkill during the Republic’s hotter months each year, but Mr Raja said more in-depth studies have to be done regarding this.

HSS’ figures also showed a rise annually in the total number of herp roadkill in Singapore from 2021 to 2023.

In 2021, 168 herps were recorded as roadkill. This number rose to 194 in 2022, and 247 in 2023.

In 2024, the trend was reversed – 180 herps were found to have been run over on local roads.

Mr Raja said this may be due to many reasons, including fewer people going out on nature walks, so the project has fewer eyes on the ground.

He added that more can be done to protect Singapore’s serpents, which are an important part of the ecosystem – they prey on small animals and are food sources for larger mammals and birds.

“In Singapore, our pythons – especially those in urban areas – have the very important task of helping us control our rodent pest populations,” he added.

Of 64 native snake species, 27 are endangered or critically endangered, according to the Singapore Red Data Book.

For one thing, “thoughtful urban planning – such as implementing wildlife corridors and crossings – can facilitate safer interactions between humans and wildlife”, Mr Raja said.

But the key to successful conservation lies in community involvement. “Encouraging citizen science and community participation in wildlife conservation would also foster a sense of stewardship, making each individual an integral part of the solution,” he said.

“As Singapore establishes itself as a ‘City in Nature’, it is imperative that we foster a balanced relationship between us and the wildlife that shares our space.”

To

learn more about snakes and other herpetofauna

in Singapore, members of the public can visit the HSS website at

https://herpsocsg.com

. For the more adventurous, the nature group also organises monthly guided walks, which are open to the public.

If any roadkill is spotted, one can report them at

https://tinyurl.com/herp-roadkills-sg

In conjunction with the Chinese Year of the Snake in 2025, The Straits Times finds out more about 14 of Singapore’s critically endangered serpents.

1. Triangle Keelback (Xenochrophis trianguligerus)

Diet: Frogs

Location: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Fact: Although this species is common in Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra, its last reported sighting here was in 1995.

Habitat: Mature secondary forest

2. Brown Kukri Snake (Oligodon purpurascens)

Diet: Frogs, lizards and their eggs

Location: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Fact: Snakes of this genus are known as kukri snakes because their enlarged fangs resemble kukri knives, Nepal’s national weapon.

Habitat: Mature secondary forest

3. Banded Wolf Snake (Lycodon subcinctus)

Diet: Lizards

Location: Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Eng Neo Avenue Forest, Pulau Tekong

Fact: The rarest of the three wolf snake species known to exist in Singapore, the banded wolf snake is harmless but looks like the venomous krait. 

Habitat: Mature secondary forest

4. Jasper Cat Snake (Boiga jaspidea)

Diet: Small mice

Location: Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Tekong

Fact: This species is named after its body’s beautiful pattern, which resembles the mineral jasper.

Habitat: Mature secondary forest

5. Smooth Slug Snake (Asthenodipsas laevis)

Diet: Slugs and snails

Location: Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Fact: This species is extremely rare in Singapore, known from only two specimens collected in 1978 and 2014.

Habitat: Mature secondary forest

6. White-spotted Cat Snake (Boiga drapiezii)

Diet: Frogs, lizards and smaller snakes

Location: Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Fact: This is the rarest cat snake (Genus Boiga) species in Singapore, rediscovered in 2009 after a 113-year absence.

Habitat: Mature secondary forest

7. Haas’ Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis haasi)

Diet: Frogs and lizards

Location: Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Fact: This is the rarest of the six bronzeback species, known to exist in Singapore due to its affinity for freshwater swamp habitats.

Habitat: Mature secondary forest, freshwater swamp forest

8. Speckle-headed Whip Snake (Ahaetulla fasciolata)

Diet: Lizards

Location: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Fact: The rarest of the Ahaetulla genus locally, this snake was historically thought to be found only in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. But sightings of it in other parts of the island, such as the Botanic Gardens in 2017, indicate that it could be more widespread.

Habitat: Mature secondary forest

9. Painted Mock Viper (Psammodynastes pictus)

Diet: Fish and shrimp

Location: Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Fact: Snakes of this genus are mildly venomous, but they are frequently mistaken for the deadly vipers at first glance, as they have very similar head shapes. Hence, they are commonly known as “mock vipers”.

Habitat: Freshwater swamp forest

10. Lineated Blind Snake (Ramphotyphlops lineatus)

Diet: Ants, termites and their larvae

Location: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Fact: One of the largest species in its genus, it was rediscovered in 2019 along a forested biking trail in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve after 172 years.

Habitat: Mature secondary forest (burrowing, rarely seen above ground)

11. White-bellied Blind Snake (Argyrophis muelleri)

Diet: Soft-bodied insect larvae and earthworms

Location: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Pulau Ubin, Ulu Sembawang forest

Fact: While more widespread than the Lineated Blind Snake, this distinctive snake is rarely seen due to its burrowing habits.

Habitat: Mature secondary forest (burrowing, rarely seen above ground)

12. Selangor Mud Snake (Raclitia indica)

Diet: Soil invertebrates

Location: Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Fact: This species was rediscovered in Singapore in 2020 after 106 years. Virtually nothing is known of its ecology other than its preference for freshwater swamp habitats. 

Habitat: Freshwater swamp forest

13. Blackwater Mud Snake (Phytolopsis punctata)

Diet: Fish

Location: Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Fact: Little is known about this elusive species, which was first discovered in Singapore in 2014, due to its secretive habits and preference for undisturbed freshwater swamp habitats.

Habitat: Freshwater swamp forest

14. Malayan Brown Snake (Xenelaphis hexagonotus)

Diet: Rodents, frogs and fish

Location: Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Fact: A freshwater swamp specialist, the Malayan Brown Snake is rare and restricted to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve in Singapore and its buffer parks.

Habitat: Freshwater swamp forest