Ptyas major
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
The Chinese green snake (Ptyas major) is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The Chinese green snake is a slender, medium-sized snake, averaging 75–90 cm (2½-3 feet) in total length, but occasionally growing to 120 cm (4 feet). Bright green above; ventral scales greenish-yellow. Dorsal scales smooth except that males have several mid-dorsal scale rows keeled. Some specimens have scattered black spots on dorsum. Dead specimens often turn bluish.
The Chinese green snake can be found in central and southern China (Hainan, Henan, Gansu, Anhui, Sichuan, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Zhejiang, Hong Kong), Taiwan, northern Vietnam, Laos and Bangladesh (Sylhet, Ratargul Swamp Forest).
It is found in humid forests and farmland. The Chinese green snake is diurnal and semi-arboreal. When encountered, they are mild-mannered and rarely bite. Their diet includes earthworms, insect larvae, and other soft-bodied invertebrates. They are oviparous, laying 2–16 eggs per clutch. Young snakes hatch in about two months. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan |
More parks will be added in future updates.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Chinese Green Snake sighting in Taroko National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 14 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April–June and September
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Chinese Green Snake in Taroko National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July–August and October–March, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Chinese Green Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Only Taroko National Park, in our data
Taroko National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Chinese Green Snake sightings: about 10% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same family: Colubridae
The closest relatives of the Chinese Green Snake that you can see in Taroko National Park (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Red-banded Snake (about 20%) and Beauty Rat Snake (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Chinese Green Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Taroko National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
