Reptiles · Squamata · Homalopsidae

Linne's Water Snake

Homalopsis buccata

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Linne's water snake is an aquatic homalopsid of South-East Asia, with a thick body, the eyes and nostrils on top of the head and a valve that closes the nostrils when it submerges. It is viviparous and hunts fish at night. It is caught in huge numbers in Cambodia to feed the crocodiles on farms.

Size

80 cm – 1.3 m

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

FreshwaterCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Reptile Freshwater

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Fun facts

Tonlé Sap lake, in Cambodia, supports probably the largest snake harvest in the world: millions of individuals of this and other aquatic species are taken every year, mainly to feed farmed crocodiles and as a source of protein.
Its nostrils are on top of the snout and close with valves when it submerges, and its eyes also face upwards, so it can watch the surface with its body under water.
It is viviparous and gives birth to up to thirty young in the water, already independent and able to hunt from the first day.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Slow rivers, canals, rice fields, lakes and ponds of South-East Asia
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 5 months of gestation
Litter / clutch size: 20 live young

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/