A Guide to Snakes of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore

Long considered one of the major biodiversity hotspots of the world, Peninsular Malaysia is renowned for its richness of fauna and flora, and snakes are included amongst the great diversity of wildlife found here. Over 160 species can be found occupying most habitat types from hot and humid lowland rainforest to mountain summits, in and around towns and cities and even in the ocean. Lying to the south of Peninsular Malaysia across the Johor Strait is the highly urbanised island nation of Singapore which, despite a small landmass, is also remarkably rich in wildlife. Many of the snakes found in Peninsular Malaysia can also be found inhabiting Singapore’s city, parks and remaining wild spaces.

The primary aim of this book is to introduce the reader to the snake fauna of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and to assist with their identification. It is intended for use by a wide audience, from amateur enthusiasts to those working professionally with snakes. Following a brief introduction to the history and ecology of the snakes found inhabiting these two countries, individual species accounts for all of the land, freshwater and brackish snake species, along with a selection of the marine-dwelling sea snakes and sea kraits, are provided. Each species account includes concise descriptions of morphology and coloration, an overview of ecology and distribution, and detailed photographs provided by a number of talented wildlife photographers. Largely non-technical dichotomous keys are also included to aid field identification.