Malaysia's serpents: Caught in the coils of change

The beautiful gold-ringed cat-eye snake (Boiga melanota). — MUHAMMAD ARIFF KHAIDHIR CHEK MAT

SNAKES – or their Chinese zodiac counterpart anyway – are having their moment in the sun.

The Chinese calendar officially ushers out the Dragon and welcomes the Snake on Jan 29, and shops are already stocked full of red paper cuttings, dolls, and other embodiments of the reptile. Some nail salons are even offering snake-themed manicures!