Clear sighting, not so clear photos
Dead specimen at the BKSDA Resort of Bukit Tekenang, Danau Sentarum
Due to their endemic habitat on Indragiri regions in Riau province on Sumatra island, west Indonesia, we should call them Indragiri's keelback snake as a common name.
These pictures are probably the first life specimen that ever captured this species.
First time I found this specimen was in 2019. I found it on the side of the road at the afternoon. I've asked some people for the ID, but nobody knows about it, unfortunately, it died on the next day. Then, in 2022 my friend found this species again, but it was in bad condition, it was stressed out. I'm also ask a lot to Indonesian herpetology, and some of them tell me that it is a Xenochrophis maculatus, which also died under 24 hours unfortunately. Since January of 2023, I found 5 dead specimens on the road, on June 7th 2023, I found this species again, and this one is in perfect condition, it's alive, it's healthy, and thank God today ( June 12th 2023) it is still healthy in captivity. I ask Mr. Gernot Vogel for the ID and he said it is the Hebius viperinus, the endemic species from Indragiri region, and then I and Andhika Julianto ( Necrotoxin on Facebook) agreed to call this species Indragiri's keelback snake, and on the same day I ask my friend Fikri Alfathoni and Pasya Syahputra to take pictures of this species. it's 5 days in captivity, and it's already eat frogs and fish. It's a diurnal animal that is active during the day . They live near the freshwater system, either in rainforest or palm oil plantation areas.
at least three on a post sticking a few inches out of the water
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