Project Squamata - Philippines

06/10/2026

Save the date! 🐍🇵🇭

Our SNAKE MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION COURSE in Manila is back by popular demand!

This course is designed for those who are serious about learning how to safely and responsibly respond to snake rescues and encounters.

Learn essential skills in snake identification, safe handling and restraint, capture and transport, snakebite response, and proper rescue protocols through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on practical training.

Whether you’re an aspiring wildlife rescuer, animal professional, LGU responder, or someone looking to develop the skills needed to assist in snake rescue situations, this course is for you.

📍 Sampaloc, Manila
📅 October 18 | 11 AM
Limited slots available. Register now: tinyurl.com/WMSnakeClass

31/08/2026

Save the date! 🐍🇵🇭

🐍 OUR SNAKE MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION COURSE IS BACK!

Just in time for the rainy season when snake encounters become more common and knowing what to do can make all the difference.

Learn how to safely handle, contain, relocate, and respond to snakes while putting both people and snakes first.

📅 September 13, 2026
📍 Sampaloc, Manila

Register now: tinyurl.com/WMSnakeClass
Limited slots only!

25/08/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 🐍🇵🇭

Found this little guy during one of our night surveys, perched on top of a small tree and staying out of reach of potential predators. This is the smallest individual of this species I’ve seen so far, probably just a few weeks old.

Can’t wait to see this little guy grow into a giant adult. Finding juveniles like this is always a good sign because it means the species is still reproducing in the area. The continued presence of snakes can also give us valuable insight into the condition of the habitat they depend on.

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴.

🐍 Smooth-scaled Mountain Rat Snake
(𝑃𝑡𝑦𝑎𝑠 𝑙𝑢𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠)
📍 Laguna, Philippines

21/08/2026

𝐋𝐮𝐳𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐛 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐞 🐍🇵🇭

Another species of snake from the Philippine endemic family, Cyclocoridae. They are non-venomous snakes that primarily feed on earthworms.

Juveniles have distinct bands that gradually fade as they grow, eventually leaving adults with a drab, patternless coloration. We spotted this individual during one of our night surveys. I was planning to make an ID plate for this species, but since they’re fairly common in some areas, I figured I’d just do it next time.

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴.

🐍 Luzon shrub snake / Günther’s Philippine Shrub Snake (𝑂𝑥𝑦𝑟ℎ𝑎𝑏𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑙𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑚 𝑙𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑚)
📍 Batangas, Philippines

01/08/2026

𝐀 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐞 🐍🇵🇭

It's not every day you come across a juvenile coral snake as small as a worm. This is one of our most cryptic species, thought to be of hybrid origin between two endemic coral snakes, the McClung's coral snake (𝐻. 𝑚𝑐𝑐𝑙𝑢𝑛𝑔𝑖) and the barred coral snake (𝐻. 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟). One of its distinguishing features is its faded white or orange ventral bands, unlike 𝐻. 𝑚𝑐𝑐𝑙𝑢𝑛𝑔𝑖, which has solid white ventral bands, and 𝐻. 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟, which lacks white ventral bands altogether.

As juveniles, they have bright orange bands that gradually darken as they mature, eventually leaving only thin white crossbands along their bodies. This transformation is known as ontogenetic color change (OCC). I tried to make an ID plate for this individual, but it wasn't very cooperative. Given that they are venomous and fragile, I decided not to continue and minimized the disturbance.

If you'd like to learn more about this cryptic species, feel free to check out our ID plate featuring an adult individual: https://www.facebook.com/share/161maeBWqn9/?mibextid=wwXIfr

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴.

🐍 𝐻𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑏𝑢𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑓. 𝑚𝑐𝑐𝑙𝑢𝑛𝑔𝑖
📍 Laguna, Philippines

Photography: Kyle Anadeo Tamayo

31/07/2026

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 🐍🇵🇭

As the rainy season starts, more baby snakes begin to hatch as they experience the world for the very first time. This individual is one of them, a juvenile reticulated python. Although this species is known as the world's longest snake, every giant starts out small, and this one measures just under 2 feet in length.

This hatchling was rescued and relocated after being found near someone's property. Although they are still young, reticulated pythons are solitary and completely independent from the moment they hatch. They will readily defend themselves when faced with a threat. Their behavior is often mistaken for being mean or aggressive, when in reality, they are simply being defensive.

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴.

🐍 Reticulated python (𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑜𝑝𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠)
📍 Laguna, Philippines

Photography: Kyle Anadeo Tamayo

28/07/2026

𝐘𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐡 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐞 🐍🇵🇭

What a night it was when we came across this massive female Philippine vine snake during one of our night surveys. At first, I couldn't figure out what I was looking at because I could only see its underside. After climbing a very steep cliff for a better view, I was surprised to find that it was a huge female Philippine vine snake.

It's always a treat to encounter one. Although snake sightings have been scarce due to the recent dry season, members of the subfamily Ahaetuliinae seem to be far more tolerant of hot, dry conditions than our pit vipers.

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴.

🐍 Philippine vine snake (𝐴ℎ𝑎𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠)
📍 Laguna, Philippines

Photography: Kyle Anadeo Tamayo

07/07/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐨'𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭?

Snakebite is a real public health issue, and people have every reason to respect venomous snakes. But respect should never be confused with fear, and fear should never justify indiscriminate persecution.

Every year, countless snakes are killed on sight, whether venomous or harmless. Many are simply trying to survive in landscapes that humans have dramatically altered.

The truth is, we've displaced them long before they ever wandered into our homes. As forests give way to roads, farms, and neighborhoods, snakes lose the habitats they have evolved to live in. Yet when one appears in our backyard, we call it the intruder.

Snakes are often persecuted not because all of them are dangerous, but because fear has been reinforced for generations. Movies and media continue to portray them as villains, shaping public perception long before most people ever encounter one.

Ironically, road traffic crashes kill far more people every year than snakes do, yet we don't see people attacking every passing driver with a bolo simply because vehicles can be dangerous.

Fear is understandable. Blind persecution is not.

Most snakes are harmless to people, and even venomous species would rather avoid us than bite. Respect them, give them space, and let knowledge guide your actions instead of fear.

References:
World Health Organization. Snakebite Envenoming. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/snakebite-envenoming
World Health Organization. Snakebite. https://www.who.int/health-topics/snakebite
World Health Organization. Road Traffic Injuries. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries

Disclaimer: The numbers shown in this meme are symbolic and are meant to convey the message, not the actual number of people or snakes affected.