I refer to your article 'Snake at Raffles Hall spotted thrice', on the snake found in Raffles Hall.

Based on the description of the snake in the article, I believe that the snake in question could belong to either one of two species:

The first would be the Indo-Chinese rat snake (Ptyas korros), a non-venomous species which can grow to quite a large size (up to 2.6 metres), but is entirely harmless unless provoked into biting in self-defence.

The second would be the black spitting cobra (Naja sumatrana), which could be a genuine cause for concern.

There might be other species which fit the description, but to the best of my knowledge, the above two species match in terms of size, colouration, and the fact that these two are adaptable and can be found living near human habitations.

I am not in any position to make an authoritative statement about the snake's identity, but my friends at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research say that black spitting cobras are quite common in the Kent Ridge area, partly because the well-drained soils are favoured places for their burrows, and also because they love to feed on the numerous rodents which proliferate in and around campus. That being said, black spitting cobras are actually quite common urban snakes, and it is not surprising if the Raffles Hall snake turns out to be a spitting cobra.

The Indo-Chinese rat snake can be mistaken for a cobra, as when threatened, it has a habit of puffing out its throat. However, this expansion of the neck is vertical, rather than the horizontal expansion of the cobra's hood.

The rat snake, despite being non-venomous, is an irritable snake that will not hesitate to strike if cornered. Although there is no venom, the teeth can still inflict serious puncture wounds that may require medical attention or trigger allergic reactions from toxins in the saliva.

However, if the snake at large in Raffles Hall really is a spitting cobra, then I would advise staff and students to be especially careful. Not only is the venom genuinely potentially life-threatening if the snake bites someone, but if provoked, this species is also capable of spraying venom from its fangs at the eyes of a threat up to a distance of several metres, and with pinpoint accuracy.

This causes extreme eye irritation, and if the venom is not promptly washed out or left untreated, can cause temporary or even permanent blindness. Hence any attempts to capture and remove the snake should be exercised with extreme caution and with protective gear, to prevent snakebite as well as people getting venom sprayed into their eyes.
The chance of the snake crawling into someone's room or the toilet, hiding, and then biting in self-defence when unknowingly stepped on or disturbed is also quite high if people do not take adequate measures to inspect their surroundings, and to exclude snakes from entering their rooms.

Until the snake (or snakes) are positively identified, and/or captured, I would advise residents and visitors to keep an eye out, as snakes can hide in all sorts of places, and an unwary person might disturb the snake and cause it to strike or spit in defence. In any case, it is all too likely that for every snake that residents spot, there are many more that remain in hiding in the vegetation and sewers, trying their best to stay out of our way; snakes are generally shy and retiring creatures, and do not go out of their way to attack people.

If seen out in the open, I would advise hall residents to give the snake a wide berth and to shield their eyes, just in case it is a spitting cobra, but at the same time keep track of its movements until professional assistance arrives. Under no circumstances should they try to catch it, as they might end up provoking the snake and cause it to attack.

On the flipside, Raffles Hall now has one of the best agents of rodent-control, doing a valuable service of reducing the local rat population. Whether the benefit of a free rodent control service outweighs the risk of getting bitten by a cobra in the shower (a relatively rare occurrence in Singapore), I leave it up to the residents of Raffles Hall to decide; it's one of the side-effects of having greenery and living close to nature.

Kwan Wei Ming Ivan
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

See related stories:
▪ Snake at Raffles Hall spotted thrice (Mar. 27, 2007)