Cartwheeling Snake Species Discovered by Scientists
Scientists in Malaysia have documented a species of snake, the dwarf reed snake, that intentionally cartwheels as an evasive maneuver against potential predators. The behavior is unusual even among rollers, as no other land-dwelling animal uses rolling as a primary means of locomotion. The snakes likely only cartwheel to escape or confuse predators, and the behavior may be common among other similar species. The dwarf reed snake is small, nonvenomous, and found widely through parts of Southeast Asia.