THE ULTIMATE LIST OF SNAKE SPECIES ON PHU QUOC ISLAND
Phu Quoc is not only famous for its beautiful beaches and tropical forests, but also for its rich biodiversity. Among the island’s reptiles, snakes play an important ecological role within Phu Quoc National Park.
Although many people fear snakes, most species found in Phu Quoc are shy and avoid human contact unless threatened. Below is a list of 31 snake species recorded on the island, including basic information about their venom, behavior, habitat, and conservation status.
Table of Contents
1. Trimeresurus cardamomensis – Cardamom Pit Viper
- Vietnamese Name: Lục xanh đuôi đỏ
- Venom: Highly venomous
- Danger Level: Moderate to high
- Behavior: Nocturnal ambush predator, their prey including amphibians living in their distribution area.
- Ecology & Distribution: Humid forests, streams, primary rainforest, residential area
- Conservation Status: Common (LC)
2. Ahaetulla prasina – Oriental Whipsnake
- Vietnamese Name: rắn roi
- Venom: Mildly venomous
- Danger Level: Harmless
- Behavior: Arboreal and active during daytime
- Distribution: Secondary forests and shrubs near streams
- Conservation Status: Common (LC)
3. Chrysopelea ornata – Golden Tree Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Rắn cườm
- Venom: Mildly venomous
- Danger Level: Harmless
- Behavior: Able to glide between trees, rear-fanged
- Distribution: Forest canopies and areas near settlements, farms, residential area
- Conservation Status: Common (LC)
4. Ptyas korros – Indochinese Ratsnake
- Vietnamese Name: Rắn hổ trâu, rắn ráo
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Harmless
- Behavior: Fast-moving rodent hunter
- Distribution: Forests, farms, rural areas
- Conservation Status: Decreasing (NT)
5. Dendrelaphis pictus – Painted Bronzeback
- Vietnamese Name: Rắn leo cây
- Venom: Harmless
- Danger Level: Low
- Behavior: Fast arboreal species active during daytime, Aggressive when threatened
- Distribution: Secondary forest and shrubs
- Conservation Status: Common (LC)
6. Rhabdophis chrysargos – Speckle-bellied Keelback
- Vietnamese Name: Hoa cỏ cổ trắng
- Venom: Mild rear-fanged venom
- Danger Level: Harmless
- Behavior: Usually found near water
- Distribution: Grasslands, streams, humid forests
- Conservation Status: Rare (LC)
7. Bungarus candidus – Malayan Krait
- Vietnamese Name: Cạp Nia
- Venom: Extremely neurotoxic,
- Danger Level: Very high, Its mortality rate is 60–70% in untreated humans. The amount of venom injected is 5 mg, while the lethal dose for a 75kg human is 1 mg
- Behavior: Nocturnal and shy
- Distribution: Lowland forests and areas near villages, residential area
- Conservation Status: Rare (LC)
8. Fowlea flavipunctata – Yellow-spotted Keelback
- Vietnamese Name: Rắn nước đốm vàng.
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low
- Behavior: Aquatic species, Aggressive when threatened
- Distribution: Ponds, streams, marshes, residential area
- Conservation Status: Common (LC)
9. Psammodynastes pulverulentus – Mock Viper
- Vietnamese Name: Hổ đất nâu
- Venom: Mildly venomous
- Danger Level: Harmless
- Behavior: Mimics vipers when threatened
- Distribution: Forest leaf litter
- Conservation Status: Common (LC)
10. Pareas berdmorei – Slug-eating Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Rắn ăn sên
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Harmless
- Behavior: Specialized snail and slug feeder
- Distribution: Moist forests and streamside habitats
- Conservation Status: Rare (LC)
11. Oligodon macrurus – Kukri Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Rắn Khiếm
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low
- Behavior: While they are non-venomous and generally harmless to humans, they are known to bite quickly and vigorously if handled. Their specialized teeth can cause deep, profuse bleeding because they act like surgical blades
- Distribution: Lowland forests and areas near villages, residential area
- Conservation Status: Rare (LC)
12. Gonyosoma oxycephalum – Red-tailed Green Ratsnake
- Vietnamese Name: Lục chúa, thanh xà đuôi đỏ
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low
- Behavior: Arboreal and defensive when handled
- Distribution: Primary forests, near stream
- Conservation Status: Decreasing (LC)
13. Coelognathus radiatus – Copperhead Ratsnake
- Vietnamese Name: Hổ Ngựa, sọc dưa
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low
- Behavior: Hunts rodents and lizards, Aggressive when threatened
- Distribution: Farms and forests
- Conservation Status: Rare (LC)
14. Naja kaouthia – Monocled Cobra
- Vietnamese Name: Hổ đất, hổ mang một mắt kính
- Venom: Highly venomous, The primary danger in cobra venom comes from neurotoxins that target the nervous system. By blocking the body’s nerve signals, these toxins cause severe muscle weakness (flaccid paralysis), which can result in fatal respiratory failure if left untreated
- Danger Level: Very high,
- Behavior: When disturbed, they prefer to flee. If threatened, they will raise their upper body, flare their hood, hiss loudly, and strike to defend themselves
- Distribution: Grasslands and lowland forests
- Conservation Status: Declining in the wild (VU)
15. Malayopython reticulatus – Reticulated Python
- Vietnamese Name: Trăn Gấm (con nưa theo truyền thuyết dân gian)
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: High due to size
- Behavior: Their activity is strongly linked to lunar phases; they are highly active during strong moonlight in dense forests
- Distribution: Wetlands and forest streams, near villages, residential area
- Conservation Status: Protected species (IIB)
16. Xenopeltis unicolor – Sunbeam Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Rắn hổ hành
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low, harmless
- Behavior: These fossorial constrictors live underground. While they typically try to escape or vibrate their tails like rattlesnakes when threatened, they may bite if handled roughly
- Distribution: Moist soil and primary rainforest
- Conservation Status: Common (LC)
17. Boiga cyanea – Green Cat Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Rào xanh, mắt mèo
- Venom: Mildly venomous
- Danger Level: Low, harmless
- Behavior: Arboreal and nocturnal
- Distribution: Primary forests
- Conservation Status: Common (LC)
18. Bungarus fasciatus – Banded Krait
- Vietnamese Name: Cạp Nông, Mai gầm
- Venom: Extremely neurotoxic, The untreated mortality rate is only 1–10%, largely because human contact is rare and defensive bites seldom result in envenomation.
- Danger Level: Very high
- Behavior: Banded kraits are shy, nocturnal, and rarely seen. While they typically hide their heads rather than bite when harassed during the day, they become much more active and dangerous at night.
- Distribution: Near water and lowland forests
- Conservation Status: RARE (LC)
19. Sibynophis triangularis – Triangle Many-tooth Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Rắn rồng
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Harmless
- Behavior: Ground-dwelling species
- Distribution: Forest leaf litter
- Conservation Status: Limited data, RARE
20. Lycodon capucinus – Common Wolf Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Khuyết thường
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low, harmless
- Behavior: Nocturnal hunter
- Distribution: Human settlements and secondary forests
- Conservation Status: Rare (LC)
21. Lycodon davisonii – Bridle Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Rắn Dẻ
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low, harmless
- Behavior: Secretive and nocturnal
- Distribution: Humid forests
- Conservation Status: Rare (LC)
22. Calliophis maculiceps – Speckled Coral Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Lá khô đốm
- Venom: Highly venomous
- Danger Level: High, human fatalities from its bite have been recorded.
- Behavior: Fossorial and secretive
- Distribution: Forest leaf litter
- Conservation Status: Rare (LC)
23. Rhabdophis siamensis – Red-necked Keelback
- Vietnamese Name: Hoa cỏ cổ đỏ, hổ lửa
- Venom: Potent rear-fanged venom
- Danger Level: Moderate to high, human fatalities from its bite have been recorded.
- Behavior: Defensive and often near water
- Distribution: Rice fields and streams
- Conservation Status: Rare (LC)
24. Cylindrophis ruffus – Red-tailed Pipe Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Rắn trun
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low
- Behavior: Burrowing species
- Distribution: Soft and moist soils
- Conservation Status: Uncommon (LC)
25. Ophiophagus hannah – King Cobra
Vietnamese Name: Rắn hổ chúa, hổ mây
Venom: Extremely venomous
Danger Level: Very high
Behavior: Feeds primarily on other snakes, The king cobra is generally unaggressive and avoids humans. However, it will rapidly attack to defend its eggs, and when alarmed, it flares its hood, raises its body, hisses, and displays its fangs.
Distribution: Large primary forests
Conservation Status: Vulnerable (VU) IB
26. Hypsiscopus plumbeus – Rice Paddy Snake
- Vietnamese Name: bồng chì
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low, harmless
- Behavior: Aquatic
- Distribution: stream and ponds
- Conservation Status: rare (LC)
27. Python bivittatus – Burmese Python
- Vietnamese Name: Trăn đất
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: High due to size
- Behavior: large adults can become aggressive feeders if not properly socialized
- Distribution: Swamps and lowland forests
- Conservation Status: Vulnerable (IIB)
28. Enhydris enhydris – Rainbow Water Snake
- Vietnamese Name: bông súng
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low
- Behavior: Aquatic species
- Distribution: Marshes and ponds
- Conservation Status: rare (LC)
29. Homalopsis buccata – Puff-faced Water Snake
- Vietnamese Name: ri cá
- Venom: Mildly venomous
- Danger Level: Low
- Behavior: Fish hunter in aquatic habitats
- Distribution: Canals and wetlands
- Conservation Status: Rare (LC)
30. Hydrophis parviceps – Small-headed Sea Snake
- Vietnamese Name: đẻn biển
- Venom: Extremely venomous
- Danger Level: Very high
- Behavior: Fully marine species
- Distribution: Coastal waters around Phu Quoc
- Conservation Status: Limited data
31. Subsessor bocourti – Bocourt’s Water Snake
- Vietnamese Name: Ri voi
- Venom: Non-venomous
- Danger Level: Low
- Behavior: Aquatic fish hunter
- Distribution: Swamps and streams
- Conservation Status: RARE (LC)
Phu Quoc is home to an impressive diversity of reptile species, including many fascinating snakes. While some species are highly venomous, most snakes prefer to avoid humans and play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance. When trekking or exploring the forests of Phu Quoc:
- Never attempt to catch or disturb snakes
- Wear proper hiking shoes or boots
- Explore with experienced local guides
- Observe wildlife from a safe distance
- Respecting nature is the best way to safely coexist with the wild ecosystems of Phu Quoc Island.
