India, Oct. 27 -- Dwarf reed snakes can cartwheel away from danger instead of relying solely on slithering, according to a study published in Current Biology. High-speed camera footage from researchers at Japan's Toho University revealed that these Southeast Asian reptiles repeatedly launch their coiling bodies into the air.

"During rolling, the posterior body is tightly curved, and rolls on the ground like a wheel, while the anterior body is lifted off the substrate and the head faces the direction of travel," the researchers explained in the study.

They added, "As the snake rolls, the contact area moves posteriorly along the body while the body extends. Eventually, the tail pushes against the substrate, propelling the snake into the a...