Snakes in China
China has around 240 snakes, 69 venomous and over 170 non-venomous. Zisqiao in China’s Zhejiang province nicknamed the snake farm raises around 3 million snakes yearly. The farm has several snake species, including vipers, cobras, and pythons. The reticulated python, inhabiting significant parts of south and southeast Asia, is China’s biggest snake, measuring more than 16 feet.
Snakes hold a special significance in Chinese astrology, signifying mystery, divinity, fortune, and longevity. In Chinese mythology, Bashe was a giant snake, replicating a python known for eating elephants.
| Groups | Venomous | Non-venomous |
|---|---|---|
| Kraits | Banded Krait Blue-lipped Sea Krait Ortheastern Hill Krait Many-branded Krait Yellow-lipped Sea Krait | – |
| Rat Snakes | – | Beauty Rat Snake King Rat Snake Zoige Ratsnake Steppe Rat Snake |
Euprepiophis | – | Mandarin Rat Snake |
| Trimeresurus | White-lipped Pit Viper | – |
| Naja | Chinese Cobra Monocled Cobra | – |
| Ovophis | Chinese Mountain Pit Viper | – |
| Elapidae | King Cobra | – |
Achalinus | – | Bourret’s Odd-scaled Snake Hainan Odd-scaled Snake Zong’s Odd-scaled Snake Sichuan Odd-scaled Snake |
Ahaetulla | Asian Vine Snake | – |
Calamaria | – | Hong Kong Dwarf Snake Collared Reed Snake |
Fowlea | – | Checkered Keelback Snake |
| Hebius | Mountain Keelback | Vietnam Water Snake |
| Oligodon | – | Chinese Kukri Snake Light-barred Kukri Snake Ashy Kukri Snake Lacroix Kukri Snake Abor Hills Kukri Snake |
| Duberria | – | Common Slug Eater |
| Cylindrophis | – | Red-tailed Pipe Snake |
| Gloydius | Ussuri Mamushi | – |
| Gonyosoma | – | Rein Snake |
| Natrix | – | Grass Snake |
| Ptyas | – | Greater Green Snake |
Trimerodytes | – | Eastern Water Snake |
| Hydrophis | Horned Sea Snake Viperine Sea Snake | Stoke’s Sea Snake |
Plagiopholis | Chinese Mountain Snake | |
| Protobothrops | Horned Pit Viper Jerdon’s Pit Viper Mangshan Pit Viper Brown-spotted Pit Viper Szechwan Pit Viper | |
Indotyphlops | – | Brahminy Blindsnake Hong Kong Blindsnake |
| Lycodon | Oriental Wolf Snake | Banded Wolf Snake Laotian Wolf Snake Ruhstrat’s Wolf Snake White-banded Wolf Snake |
Pareas | – | Mountain Slug Snake |
| Coelognathus | – | Radiated Rat Snake |
Enhydris | – | Rainbow Water Snake |
Hypsiscopus | Rice Paddy Snake | – |
Malayopython | Reticulated Python |
