Dog-toothed Cat Snake
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| Dog-toothed Cat Snake |
The Dog-toothed Cat Snake (Boiga cynodon) is a large colubrid native to the Southeast Asia, it can reach lengths up to over 2 meters. This mildly venomous, rear-fanged species is characterized by its slender, laterally compressed body and a distinctively large head with cat-like vertical pupils. It has a postocular stripe that is distinctly irregular, it also has a dark postocular streak on each side of the head. In Palawan, its coloration typically ranges from tannish to reddish-brown with dark crossbars. Juveniles often possess brighter hues and more vivid banding than adults.
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| Dog-toothed Cat Snake |
Primarily arboreal and nocturnal, this snake is a specialist hunter of the forest canopy. It also has shown remarkable adaptability to human-altered landscapes like plantations and urban gardens. Its diet consists largely of birds and their eggs as well as frogs, lizards, and small mammals. It hunts actively at night by pursuing and overpowering prey, it rests on the canopy during the day.
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| Dog-toothed Cat Snake |
From a conservation standpoint, the species is globally classified as Least Concern by the IUCN due to its vast range and ability to persist in disturbed habitats. However, like many other species of wildlife in Palawan, it faces localized threats from lowland habitat deforestation. Conservation strategies focus on preserving the connectivity of lowland forest canopies, and managing urban green spaces is important to ensure that our arboreal animals, both native and endemic, can continue to thrive alongside expanding human populations.
