A rare flying snake has been found in a village on the outskirts. A farmer, Venkatesan noticed that the snake was gliding and flying from tree to tree to catch its prey in his farm at Kalampalayam.

This happened on last Saturday and the farmer immediately alerted a snake handler, who reached with his team.

After struggling for nearly three hours the snake was caught in a cloth and handed over to the Forest Department.

According to Forest Department sources, this type of snake was normally found in dry zone areas in South Eastern countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam and also parts of Sri Lanka, but rarely in India.

The three-ft snake, known as Chrysopelea, has the ability to fly horizontally in air and move at least 20 feet non-stop, they said, adding that the grey coloured reptile has black spots on its body.

The snake might have found its way to Kalampalayam by truck carrying wooden logs or hay, they said. It was released in the jungle area of Puthupathi in the Western Ghats, sources said.