Rare and ‘secretive’ snake — that can climb trees — found in Vietnam rainforest
In the protected, undisturbed limestone forests of central Vietnam, a “secretive” creature emerged at nightfall.
In a scene framed by the opening of a karst cave, the 20-inch black and cream-colored banded snake targeted an unknowing skink. It is an adept hunter, able to move swiftly over rocky terrain and even climb trees.
Researchers have now confirmed the snake, discovered in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the Northern Annamites, is a new species called Lycodon calcarophilus, or the Limestone wolf snake, according to a study published Aug. 12 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.
The mountainous rainforest region where the limestone wolf snake was found is considered to be one of Vietnam’s “most significant protected areas” in terms of reptile and amphibian diversity, according to the study.
“Numerous studies have emphasised the remarkable species richness” and the large number of species that exist only in the karstic region and nowhere else in the world, researchers said.
The new species is described as being relatively small compared to related species. Its blackish-brown body is “laterally compressed” with between 19 and 25 “pinkish-cream” colored bands, researchers said.
The new species has a head that is angular, slightly flattened, and distinct from the rest of its body, according to the study.
Researchers said the species is “likely rare, as suggested by the very limited number of observations.” The team encountered just six during their fieldwork.
However, the limestone wolf snake is likely to be found in “limestone massifs outside the park boundaries, where forest habitats are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities.”
The discovery of the new species brings the known number of Lycodon species in Vietnam to 17, according to researchers.
Researchers recommend listing the new species as data deficient on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List until more field surveys can determine its threatened status.
The research team included Gernot Vogel, Andrey M. Bragin, Nikolay A. Poyarkov and Tan Van Nguyen.
This story was originally published August 13, 2025 at 1:10 PM with the headline "Rare and ‘secretive’ snake — that can climb trees — found in Vietnam rainforest."
