Rare, venomous snake found in Pasir Ris Park near adventure playground

This article is more than 12 months old

Apr 17, 2023 10:38 pm

A rare, venomous snake has been spotted in Pasir Ris Park on Monday morning between its adventure playground and the beach.

The snake – with distinctive black and white bands – was seen in a video on Facebook slithering stealthily from a tree to the grass patch. It was identified as a banded krait by netizens on the video’s thread, and later confirmed by the Herpetological Society of Singapore (HSS), a volunteer group dedicated to the study and outreach of reptiles and amphibians in Singapore.

The snake’s vividness was what caught the attention of Mr Jimmy Hoon, who took the video.

“I was cycling when I saw something distinct... I thought it was a rope but it was moving,” Mr Hoon, 55, said.

The educator added that the snake also went onto the cycling and jogging paths, and he had to wave to other cyclists to alert them to the reptile.

Recounting his encounter, Mr Hoon said: “I feel very lucky because it was a rare sighting. At that moment, I just wanted to protect this snake and give it its space.”

SPCA had received several reports of the case and escalated them to the Animal & Veterinary Service – which is within NParks – for further action.

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In response to queries, National Parks Board’s (NParks) group director for Parks East said NParks was alerted to the sighting of a banded krait at Pasir Ris Park on Monday. However, the snake was not found at the location when NParks staff went to the site.

Mr Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan, co-chief executive of Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), said Acres did not receive any call about the snake sighting and was not aware of this incident.

Mr Kalai Vanan said that banded kraits are not common in Singapore, adding that it could have swum from neighbouring Pulau Ubin or from mangrove habitats nearby.

“Although Pasir Ris Park is a coastal area, their presence is rare as these shy snakes prefer undisturbed areas with little human traffic,” he said. “They have a preference for coastal areas and would not venture inland.”

Measuring about 1.5m to 2m long, the locally endangered banded krait is rarely seen and usually active at night, according to wildlife online resource Wild Singapore.

HSS’ scientific officer Shivaram Rasu said while the snake is known to be highly venomous, it is not known to be aggressive and will readily shy away from human contact.

Mr Shivaram said that in Singapore, the banded krait prefers mangrove and coastal habitats, with records of them found in areas such as Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong, Sungei Buloh and Khatib Bongsu. He noted that there have also been recent sightings in places such as Lorong Halus and Pasir Ris Park.

On its website, NParks said that snakes are generally shy creatures and will usually try to slither away from humans.

“Snakes are generally not aggressive and will not attack unless they are disturbed or provoked. If you do see a live snake, do keep calm and keep a safe distance,” said NParks on its website.

What to do when you encounter a snake in a public area:

Observe from a safe distance, as snakes will not attack unless disturbed or provoked.
Stay calm and back away slowly, giving it space to retreat.
Do not approach or attempt to handle the snake.
Leave it alone, especially if it is in its natural habitat. Call NParks at 1800-476-1600 if you need assistance.
Keep pets on a tight leash as they might chase the snake and frighten it. Source: NParks