How fast can snakes swim?

Depending on the snake's species. For instance, a green tree python can swim at a speed

of 7 km/h (4 mph), whereas an American rattlesnake can swim at a speed of 3 km/h (2 mph). 

A snake's ventral scales are less hydrodynamic than a fish's comparatively smooth skin, thus

exert more force to move the same amount of water. For instance, the enormously broad ventral 

 scales of sea snakes fold into a groove to form a ridge. They can swim incredibly quickly

as a result, and they frequently spend the majority of their life under in the ocean.

Want More Stories Like This

"