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As Hong Kong slips smoothly into the Year of the Snake, the spotlight has turned towards some of the city's lesser known reptilian inhabitants.
In a city famed for its impressive skyline and dense urban environment, it is not widely known that Hong Kong is also home to an impressive array of wildlife, including 52 species of snake.
And while snakes are rare in urban areas, snake sightings are not that uncommon in the countryside, especially in late summer and autumn.
Sometimes, you may hear one slithering in the long grass, or spot one devouring a frog or toad it has just managed to catch.
The majority of snakes in Hong Kong are small and harmless, and they are more afraid of people than we are of them.
Nevertheless, their presence is often enough to make hikers think twice about straying from a countryside trail or for golfers to tread carefully when searching for a lost ball in the rough.
Five of the most common snakes found in Hong Kong are the bamboo snake (Cryptelytrops (Trimeresurus) albolabris), the Chinese cobra (Naja atra), the red-necked keelback (Rhabdophis subminiatus helleri), the many-banded krait (Bungarus multicinctus multicinctus) and the common rat snake (Ptyas mucosus). Of those, only the rat snake is not venomous - though it can be aggressive when cornered.
One snake to avoid is the many-banded krait. The black and white snake lives mainly in marshy areas, swamps and grasslands and, although reports of attacks are extremely rare, one bite can be deadly.
The city's most abundant snake species is the common blind snake (Ramphotyphlops braminus), which is found throughout Hong Kong, including on the islands and hillsides and around the villages in the New Territories.
At the other end of the scales, the mangrove water snake (Enhydris bennettii) confines itself to mangroves in Mai Po and Tai O in the New Territories.
Hong Kong's largest snake species is the Burmese python (Python bivittatus). It can grow up to 3.7 metres (12 feets) long but, despite its size, it is unusual to see one in the wild.
In the city centre, the only snakes you are likely to come across are those found in special restaurants. Eating snake, most commonly in the form of snake soup, is especially popular in winter as some Chinese believe it has medicinal benefits such as enhancing blood flow and boosting vitality and the immune system.
In Chinese astrology, 2013 heralds the Year of the Water Snake, which is a difficult one to predict, according to astrologers. That is because it juxtaposes the calming element of water with the fire element of the snake. This leads some astrologers to believe that this Year of the Water Snake could give rise to personal conflicts, strange weather or geological catastrophes.
People born in the Year of the Snake are said to be intelligent, deep thinking problem-solvers who are good at business.
Either way, as always in Hong Kong, the Year of the Water Snake promises to be an exciting one and perhaps also a good time to get out into the countryside to experience Hong Kong's beautiful scenery and natural heritage ... but just be careful where you step!
Ends/Friday, February 8, 2013
Issued at HKT 20:12
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