Dragonsnake (Xenodermus javanicus)
Dragonsnake by antonsrkn, on FlickrThis one was found one night as I waded thigh deep through a swiftly flowing stream in the Bornean Jungle. It had been a great night with hordes of frogs, mostly rockskippers (Staurois latopalmatus) and some Meristogenys sp. However, I was hoping for more, specifically snakes. In the distance I had spotted several frog shapes clinging to an almost vertical boulder right above a series of rapids, thinking that it would make for a cool photo I clambered through the river towards them taking care about my footing on the submerged rocks and wary of the current that was pushing me around. It was slow progress as I was very aware of the possibility of dunking myself and my camera into the stream but eventually I made it over to the two rockskipper frogs who were still hanging onto the slippery rock. I took another look at the frogs and forgot about them instantly, just a hands width away from one of the frogs this snake was moving across the nearly vertical rock, i knew right away what it was! I had been hoping to see one but realized the chances were exceedingly slim, needless to say i was ridiculously excited. I thought about trying to get some in-situ shots but I was standing in an area where I was not sure how long I could remain without slipping from the current pushing at my legs and the frogs near the snake were much too big for it to consume (I would have risked staying to document that) so I moved myself and the snake several meters over to a safer location. Interestingly, after I released the xenodermus back where i found it I realized I was standing about 10 m from the spot where I had an exciting encounter with a King Cobra the previous year, when I was crossing that same stream for work.
