Japanese Rat Snake
Japanese Rat SnakeJapanese Rat SnakeJapanese Rat SnakeJapanese Rat Snake

Japanese Rat Snake

Elaphe climacophora

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Nikko National Park
13 Verified records at Nikko National Park
June Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The Japanese rat snake (Elaphe climacophora) is a medium-sized colubrid snake found throughout the Japanese archipelago (except the far South West) as well as on the Russian-administered Kunashir Island. In Japanese it is known as the aodaishō or "blue general". It is non-venomous and is hunted by eagles and tanukis. The snakes brumate for three to four months, mate in spring and lay 7–20 eggs in early summer. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Japanese Rat Snake sighting in Nikko National Park, based on 13 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Nikko National Park

Japanese Four-lined Ratsnake
LC

Japanese Four-lined Ratsnake

🌅 Crepuscular Reptile

Elaphe quadrivirgata

20–30% · Possible
Tiger Keelback
LC

Tiger Keelback

🌅 Crepuscular Reptile

Rhabdophis tigrinus

40–50% · Likely
Burrowing Ratsnake
LC

Burrowing Ratsnake

🌅 Crepuscular Reptile

Euprepiophis conspicillata

20–30% · Possible
Japanese Keelback
LC

Japanese Keelback

Reptile

Hebius vibakari

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
10–20
Feb
10–20
Mar
40–50
Apr
50–60
May
50–60
Jun
20–30
Jul
5–10
Aug
30–40
Sep
5–10
Oct
5–10
Nov
10–20
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Nikko National Park 🇯🇵 Japan
30–40%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Japanese Rat Snake in Nikko National Park?

About 34% of wildlife watchers report a Japanese Rat Snake sighting in Nikko National Park, based on 13 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Japanese Rat Snake in Nikko National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for Japanese Rat Snake in Nikko National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Nikko National Park