HABITAT AND ECOLOGY This species uses a variety of stagnant and slow moving aquatic habitats ranging from rice paddies, canals and ditches to lakes and rivers. It uses relatively shallow fresh water environments with muddy substrata and can be found in and around urban areas. It appears to thrive in disturbed habitats. This species is very intolerant of salt water. Neonates are found in the mud-root tangle near water (Murphy 2007). This species feeds almost exclusively on fish (Murphy 2007), but in lean periods it may also prey on lizards and frogs (Sharma 2003). There are two breeding seasons per year, though it is not known if females will reproduce during both seasons (S. Brooks pers. comm.).
There are no conservation measures for this species, however, in places its distribution coincides with protected areas, probably providing small safeguards. Further research and monitoring is needed on its harvest levels and population trends, to ensure declines do not increase.
CLASS : Reptilia
ORDER : Squamata
FAMILY : Homalopsidae
GENUS : Enhydris
SPECIES : Rainbow Mud Snake (Enhydris enhydris)
Conservation status : Least Concern
Update : 06 April 2017
