The Beauty snake belongs to the Colubridae family. With over 2,000 different species, or about two-thirds of all living snake species, this is the most diverse snake family on earth.

The range of the species extends from northeastern India to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo through China, Laos, Thailand and Taiwan.

It inhabits a variety of habitats (dry and humid forests, caves, grasslands, farmlands and plantations) and can also be found near villages. It is often found deep inside caves (up to several kilometers deep!) in karst regions, making it one of the world’s few true cave-dwelling snakes.

Beauty snakes feed mainly on rodents, birds, amphibians and eggs. This constrictor snake kills its prey by suffocating them.

Even if there is no data available on the impacts of harvesting on this snake in the wild, overharvesting in certain regions is undeniable as the species is prized by terrarium enthusiasts. It is currently listed as Vulnerable on the UICN Red List.