These Snakes Can Cartwheel Away From Danger. Scientists Just Uncovered How the Slithering Creatures Perform Their Acrobatic Rolls
When they're rolling, some snakes belonging to the Pseudorabdion genus can reach top speeds of 3.8 to 8.3 miles per hour, according to a new study
Dwarf reed snakes, known for their tiny size and nocturnal habits, possess a remarkable ability to cartwheel away from danger. These diminutive snakes, found in Southeast Asia, can reach lengths of up to nine inches and are vulnerable to predators such as birds and other snakes. In 2019, researchers first captured footage of a dwarf reed snake performing this acrobatic maneuver when startled on a Malaysian road.
Subsequently, scientists observed the behavior again in their laboratory, where they discovered that only members of the Pseudorabdion genus exhibited this unique movement. In a study published in Current Biology, researchers found that these snakes execute the cartwheel by curling their bodies into a tight coil, lifting their heads, and then pushing off the ground with their tails while alternating which side of their body strikes the ground.
This complex movement allows the snakes to move about four times faster than traditional slithering and aids in evading predators. However, the energy-intensive process remains a mystery, and it is unclear how the snakes evolved this unusual ability.
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