Red-Headed Krait

The red-headed krait is one of the most strikingly colored members of the genus Bungarus, found across the rainforests of Southeast Asia. It is a highly venomous elapid, though its secretive, nocturnal habits mean it is rarely encountered by people.

Its vivid coloration and forest-dwelling lifestyle distinguish it from many of its more agricultural or wetland-associated krait relatives.

• Large, glossy black body
• Bright red or orange head and tail contrasting sharply with the black body
• Thin pale blue or white stripe running down the vertebral line
• Smooth scales with a low vertebral ridge
• Round pupils

Its unmistakable red head and tail against a jet-black body make it one of the most visually distinctive kraits.

Inhabits primary and secondary lowland rainforest, often near streams, across Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Philippines. It favors moist forest floor habitats with dense cover.

Nocturnal and secretive, spending daylight hours hidden under forest litter or in burrows. It feeds primarily on other snakes, a common trait among kraits. Encounters with humans are infrequent given its dense forest habitat and shy nature. Reproduction is oviparous, though clutch details are not well documented.