Snakes that roll like wheels amaze scientists (video)

The unusual movement of small snakes found in the forests of Southeast Asia has amazed scientists. When they sense danger, instead of slithering away as usual, they curl their bodies into a wheel shape and roll forward. This was reported by Science News.

Researchers captured the movement of three different species of snakes belonging to the Pseudorabdion genus, found on the island of Borneo in Malaysia, using special cameras.

It turns out that the snake first forms its body into an "S" shape, then throws its tail over its head and lifts itself into the air for a short time. After its tail touches the ground, it rotates once more and repeats the movement. In this way, it rolls like a wheel and moves forward with speed.

Snakes move at speeds of up to 13 kilometers per hour

During the experiments, some snakes reached speeds of up to 3.7 meters per second. This is approximately 13 kilometers per hour. What surprised the scientists even more is that even though the main part of the snake's body is rotating, it can keep its head in a relatively stable position.

Experts believe that this unusual method of movement allows the snakes to escape predators faster and distract them.

The results of the study were published on October 19 in the scientific journal Current Biology. Scientists emphasize that this discovery further expands the understanding of the locomotion capabilities of snakes.