Have you ever seen a white snake? Probably not, but if you have you are one of the few who have had this rare privilege. Iwakuni , Japan is the home of this rare species of snake that has been written about in lore and fantasy more than it has been seen for hundreds of years. So rare is this snake that the country of Japan has declared it a natural treasure.
The white snake is a blue-green snake (Elaphe climacophora) which is albino in nature, meaning it does not posses any pigmentation. White snakes are about 180 centimeters in length and their bodies have a diameter of 5 centimeters. They have eyes that likened to rubies, a bright red which is brought out primarily because of their white bodies.
White snakes are not harmful to humans, and while they will bite the ends of your fingers if provoked, they are non-venomous. Their diet consists mainly of eggs, birds, rats and mice.
Mostly active in the mornings and evenings, these snakes are often referred to as nervous snakes because they react very strongly to any movement. They are quick to bite, in self-defense, anything that moves too quickly near them or stirs up their natural habitat.
In recent years, the population of white snakes has been decreasing at a rapid rate for these rare creatures as urbanization has taken oven many of the areas they lived in Japan. As such, and because of their rarity, they are considered an endangered species.
Not much information exists on the white snake outside of information about their rarity. You are more likely to find countless stories of lore that refer to the white snake as a good luck charm or a messenger from the gods.