Despite its slightly fierce appearance, it’s completely non-venomous and harmless to humans. This snake is frequently seen in ponds, lakes, streams, rice fields, and even city drains—anywhere with water and a good supply of fish and frogs, which make up most of its diet. Its name comes from the distinct checkered pattern on its body, with dark square-like blotches along its back, set against a brown or olive background. The “keelback” part refers to the ridged (or keeled) scales along its back, giving it a rough texture and helping with movement in both water and on land.

What really sets the checkered keelback apart is its excellent swimming ability. It’s a semi-aquatic snake, meaning it spends a lot of time both in and around water. When it swims, its head stays above the surface while the rest of its body moves in graceful S-shaped waves. It’s a quick and agile hunter, snatching fish, frogs, tadpoles, and even small invertebrates. It can dive underwater for extended periods, often hiding beneath aquatic plants while waiting for prey. It’s also not shy about sunbathing, and you can sometimes spot it basking on rocks or logs beside water bodies before silently sliding into the water if disturbed.

Despite being harmless, the checkered keelback is often mistaken for a venomous snake because of its defensive behavior. When threatened, it may flatten its body, hiss, or even pretend to strike—bluffing to scare off predators. It can also emit a foul-smelling odor from its body as a warning. These tricks often work on larger animals, but sadly, not always on humans, which sometimes leads to the snake being killed out of fear. In reality, it plays an important role in controlling fish and amphibian populations and is a beneficial part of its ecosystem.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Afghanistan

2016

Bangladesh

2016

Bhutan

2016

China

2016

India

2016

Laos

2016

Myanmar

2016

Nepal

2016

Pakistan

2016