20 August 2014 Last updated at 00:32
By Jonathan Webb
Science reporter, BBC News
When a snake climbs a tree, it squeezes the trunk up to five times harder than necessary, according to a new study.
For the first time, biologists have measured the force exerted by climbing snakes, using pressure sensors on a vertical pipe, wrapped in tennis grip.
All 10 of the snakes in the study held onto the pipe much tighter than was necessary to support their own weight.
The research suggests that the animals place safety ahead of efficiency, making a fall as unlikely as possible.
"What's interesting about this, is it's a choice by the animal to do more than they necessarily need to do," said Dr Greg Byrnes, who did the experiments at the University of Cincinnati and now teaches at Siena College in New York State.
Published in the journal Biology Letters, Dr Byrnes' study is the first indication that snakes employ a big "safety factor" when climbing.
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