Golden Tree Snake
Chrysopelea ornata
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colúbrids)
- GenusChrysopelea (Flying Snakes)
- SpeciesChrysopelea ornata (Golden Tree Snake)
Chrysopelea ornata (Thai: งูเขียวพระอินทร์) is a species of mildly venomous opisthoglyphous (rear-fanged) colubrid snake found in both South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is commonly known as the golden tree snake, ornate flying snake, and golden flying snake. Along with the other species in the genus Chrysopelea, the golden tree snake is unusual, as it is capable of a type of gliding "flight" (more of a controlled "throwing" or "falling") — mainly utilised during the pursuit of prey animals — from tree-to-tree. This action is also used to great effect for the snake to flee its own potential predators (such as birds or other reptiles). Currently, three subspecies are recognised. The snake's striking looks, and potential for gliding, have made it a coveted choice for captivity. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Golden Tree Snake sighting in Khao Sok National Park, based on 9 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Khao Sok National Park
Paradise Flying Snake
Chrysopelea paradisi
Western Mangrove Cat Snake
Boiga melanota
Banded Keelback
Rhabdophis nigrocinctus
Red-tailed Green Ratsnake
Gonyosoma oxycephalum
Oriental Whipsnake
Ahaetulla prasina
Elegant Bronzeback
Dendrelaphis formosus
Triangle Keelback
Xenochrophis trianguligerus
Beauty Rat Snake
Elaphe taeniura
Laotian Wolf Snake
Lycodon laoensis
Chinese Ratsnake
Ptyas korros
Green Cat Snake
Boiga cyanea
Collared Reed Snake
Calamaria pavimentata
📅 Monthly Probability
🌅 When They're Spotted
Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cat Tien National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 2 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 3 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 4 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 5 | Mudumalai National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Sundarbans National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Cuc Phuong National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Golden Tree Snake in Khao Sok National Park?
About 16% of wildlife watchers report a Golden Tree Snake sighting in Khao Sok National Park, based on 9 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Golden Tree Snake in Khao Sok National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Golden Tree Snake in Khao Sok National Park in our monthly data.