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Watch bizarre snake 'cartwheel' away from danger at more than 12 feet per second
Live Science • • world
Key Points:
- Dwarf reed snakes in Southeast Asia have developed a unique escape method where they arch their bodies and tumble or roll at speeds up to 12.1 feet per second, significantly faster than their usual slithering motion.
- Researchers observed that during rolling, the snakes keep their heads relatively fixed and elevated, which helps stabilize their movement and maintain sensory awareness despite the rapid tumbling.
- The study, published in Current Biology, involved filming three species of dwarf reed snakes and confirmed that this rolling behavior allows them to move quickly in a straight line and evade predators effectively.
- This rolling tactic may also confuse predators and disrupt scent trails, making it harder for scent-reliant hunters like king cobras to track the snakes.
- The behavior represents a notable example of behavioral innovation, enabling the snakes to perform movements that seem physically improbable given their body structure.
