For most of us, the sight of a snake gliding across the ground is frightening enough, so can you imagine if we saw them hovering in the air? And yet it’s possible !
A snake « flying ».
This is done by the Chrysopelea paradisi, commonly called the flying snake, which propels itself through the air from the trees of South and Southeast Asia. It is indeed in the forests of Thailand and Indonesia in particular that we can see this amazing snake.
Measuring about 1 meter, it inhabits the canopy of the forests of Southeast Asia. It is thus from there that he takes his « flight ». Little was known about how these snakes « fly » until a team of scientists from Virginia Tech published a new article on the subject earlier this week.
Experts say that snakes hover in the air.
Researchers have discovered that the undulating movement of snakes during their gliding flight stabilizes them, allowing them to fly farther. Since this undulation is the same motion they use to glide on the ground, it was previously thought to be simply a basic engine pattern.
The next step for researchers is to observe snakes jumping from trees, or hovering, and study how they generate lift and how they turn in the air. Just to reassure you a little bit… although these snakes are venomous, their venom is weak and like almost all snakes, they are considered harmless to humans.