The dwarf reed snake escapes predators by leaping into a continuous cartwheel that’s four times as fast as slithering.

“The acrobatics involved in rolling are a fascinating example of how much snakes can accomplish with their limbless bodies,” Toho University ecologist Yosuke Kojima told the New York Times.

“It’s nice to be surprised by weird snake behaviour occasionally,” said herpetologist Frank Burbrink. “It is truly remarkable and probably fairly arresting for any predators that encounter these little guys.”

(Yosuke Kojima, et al., “Locomotor Kinematics and Head Stabilization in Rolling Snakes,” Current Biology 36:20 [Oct. 19, 2026], R1061-R1063. Thanks, Sharon.)