20/12/2007
Drama that unfolded this morning.
1. Commotion in the back yard. Snake in the shed!
2. Upon closer inspection, we discover that Snake has got his fangs into Lizard, and is now in the process of strangling him.
3. But wait...! Lizard won't go down so easy, turns around and bites Snake's lower jaw.
4. Raj enters the fray. Wielding golf club. Of course.
5. Snake + Lizard dragged out into the open. Amandi waiting, parang in hand.
6. Amandi lands an almighty blow!
7. Snake mortally wounded, but still clutching onto Lizard. Determined to finish his last kill...
8. Shocking reversal! Lizard, sensing Snake weakening, shakes free and chomps down on Snake's head!
9. Wearied but victorious, Lizard limps away...
10. So in the end:
Snake - dead.
Amandi - happy.
Lizard - v. happy!
-raj
Drama that unfolded this morning.
1. Commotion in the back yard. Snake in the shed!
2. Upon closer inspection, we discover that Snake has got his fangs into Lizard, and is now in the process of strangling him.
3. But wait...! Lizard won't go down so easy, turns around and bites Snake's lower jaw.
4. Raj enters the fray. Wielding golf club. Of course.
5. Snake + Lizard dragged out into the open. Amandi waiting, parang in hand.
6. Amandi lands an almighty blow!
7. Snake mortally wounded, but still clutching onto Lizard. Determined to finish his last kill...
8. Shocking reversal! Lizard, sensing Snake weakening, shakes free and chomps down on Snake's head!
9. Wearied but victorious, Lizard limps away...
10. So in the end:
Snake - dead.
Amandi - happy.
Lizard - v. happy!
-raj
9 comments:
1. Why did you side with the snake? I mean, snakes are dangerous, but that lizard is so colourful, it might be poisonous.
2. Where in Timor did you find a golf club?!
3. It's just like you to be busy taking photos while life and death matters are being decided around you... can imagine you as a war journalist exposing the biggest cover up in all history.
Wha say.. I *love* your photo slideshow documentary! New things I learned about Timor today:
1. Large snake I can't identify, possibly venomous? - I sincerely hope there are no more around your residence.
2. Humongous colourful lizard with pale green eyes that puzzle me even more!! Seem like a something out of a child's nightmare - monster under the bed, that sort. Yes, it's lucky it's still alive.
3. There are golfing opportunities in Vatunau :) Cool...
Hello hello! Nice to read your blog...good use of pictures to illustrate your story and especially nice one of the lizard at the end. But why put raj after that? We know you are raj:P
Oh can I know how to post so many pics on a blog? DO you use an image host?
PE:
1. Yes, lizard was likely poisonous too.
But the snakes tend to chase the rats into the house, therefore judged to present a greater threat.
2. Golf club
We use it exclusively for domestic purposes like fighting off thieves and snakes.
May:
1. They call it an 'ular karung' here, don't know the English name, it is purported to be poisonous. You understand that I did not set out to substantiate this claim.
TP:
1. I didn't need to do anything special, just uploaded multiple pictures on the 'New Post' page...!
2. 'Raj' because it's cutted-and-pasted from the email version.
i'm glad u had fun ;)
ULAR KARUNG:
Acrochordus javanicus
Also known as Elephant Trunk snake or Javan wart snake
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Acrochordidae
Genus: Acrochordus
Species: Acrochordus javanicus
Geographic Range: An aquatic snake, ular karung can be found on the coastal regions of India and Ceylon, and also across the Indo-Australian islands as far as the Solomons.
Habitat: The Javan wart snake lives in the brackish zone of rivers, streams, and estuaries, and it sometimes swims short distances into the sea. It is also found near washed out banks.
Physical Description: Mass 3 to 10 kg. The Javan wart snake has a muscular body and the male grows up to a length of five feet. The female is usually bigger and more powerfully built, with a length of up to eight feet. The top side of the snake's body is brown in color, and its sides and belly are pale yellow. The skin of the Javan wart snake is loose and baggy, with small rough scales. The scales are formed adjacent to each other and they do not overlap. On each scale, there is a sharp triangular ridge. The ventral scales of this snake are of the same size and shape as the other scales, unlike other types of snakes that often have enlarged ventral scales.
The shape of the snake's snouted head is flat and broad, with nostrils located at the top side of its head, giving this snake a boa-like appearance, although the width of the snake's trunk is identical to its head. The snake also has a short and mobile tail.
Behavior: The Javan wart snake usually hides in the daytime and becomes active at night. Sometimes it will forage both during the day and at night. The snake captures its prey by folding its body around it, using its prehensile tail and the sharp scales to ensure a firm grip. The Javan wart snake rarely comes onto land. Their baggy skin is developed for agility under water and restricts them from traveling efficiently on land. Most of the time, the snake stays under the water surface, and it can do so for up to 40 minutes continously. When it need to breathe, the snake floats to the water surface and position its nostrils above water for 15 to 20 seconds.
Food Habits: The Javan wart snake is a carnivore. It feeds primarily on fish and other aquatic animals, but will sometimes feed on frogs. An interesting fact about this snake is that it does not bulge after feeding like other snakes do. Its body remains slack all the time because its skin is so loose and baggy.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
They are easily aggravated. Although they are not poisonous, their recurved teeth break off easily and are left inside one's flesh if a person is being bitten, thus creating unpleasant wounds.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Their skin can be processed for manufacturing leather goods.
Conservation Status
The Javan wart snake is becoming increasingly rare. This is indicated by the fact that they are now seldom offered for sale. One reason for their scarcity is that they have been captured in large numbers because their skin is used for making leather goods. The other reason is that an effective and successful method of breeding is still not availiable yet.
To cite this page: Chiu, K. 1999. "Acrochordus javanicus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed December 29, 2007 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Acrochordus_javanicus.html.
Hmm... now does your lizard have a local name? ;p
Thanks for this extremely informative comment.
The snake lives in the water --maybe this is why the poster in the clinic encouraging people not to use the river as a toilet shows a boy being chased by a snake. Perhaps this is why people don't seem to go swimming? Might also explain why they don't catch much fish, if the snake has eaten all the fatter fish.
Raj, if you have no moral objections against animal skin products, you could try selling the snake skin, haha.
ohmygosh - it's just like siaw may to "use the Google" to find out more about the snake :) still i'm impressed by the reference!!
You are all wrong, the snake is a macklots python and the lizard is a tokay gecko. Both reptiles are harmless to man and posses no fangs, venom or poison, so the man who killed the snake isn't all that brave and almighty after all. The more of them you kill, the more rats and other vermin you will have to live with in the future.
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