The following list introduces common Southern Africa’s snakes to L.P.H. students as a reference. Recognizing snakes, their habits and habitats, as well as their potential impact on self or clients is a critical component of a guide’s knowledge base.

Key symbols:

BLACK MAMBA (Dendroaspis polylepis)

Main features: Long and slender snake, dark olive green in colour, with lighter underpart. Head has a characteristic coffin-shape with long mouth running far behind the orbital area. The name “black” is derived from the black colour of the inside of the mouth. It is the largest African venomous snake.

Habitat: Preferred habitat is savanna and bushlands, where it rests in termite mounds, hollow tree trunks, abandoned porcupine or aardvark burrows. It is also common in rocky areas like Matopos hills, in Zimbabwe. It is both terrestrial and arboreal, mainly active during the day.

Behaviour: Always an alert and unpredictable snake, with very dangerous venom. It returns regularly to the same burrow and same hunting area, where it feeds on rodents, birds, other snakes and small mammals.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying 6-17 eggs in summer. Young measure 40-60 cm when hatched and reach 2 m length within the first year. During springtime, males engage in combats for mating access.

Distribution: All over Zimbabwe and Mozambique; Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa and in Botswana except the Kalahari desert.

GREEN MAMBA (Dendroaspis angusticeps)

Main features: Long and slender snake, very similar in shape to Black mamba, but bright emerald green in colour, with pale green or yellowish green on the underparts. Juveniles are blue-green.

The mouth line is bluish white and occasionally dark.

Habitat: It’s an arboreal snake than seldom ventures to the ground. Prefers lowland forest or rain forest, like Mvumba mountains rainforest.

But it also inhabits moist savanna, and thick plantations.

Behaviour: Shy and seldom seen, it moves gracefully and slowly among branches, quickly disappearing if disturbed. Despite its powerful neurotoxic venom, it is not as aggressive as the Black mamba and bites are uncommon. Active during daylight.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying 6-17 eggs in summer, usually laid in a hollow tree trunk. Young measure 40-60 cm when hatched and reach 2 m length within the first year. During springtime, males engage combats for mating access. Mating occurs in trees.

Distribution: Eastern Highlands and Chimanimani mountains. Eastern coastal area in South Africa.

SNOUTED COBRA (Naja annulifera)

Main features: One of the largest African cobras, yellowish to greyish brown above, A banded phase occurs throughout (more common in males), with blue-black colour and 7-11 yellow crossbars. Below is yellow mottled black. A dark throated band is present.

Habitat: Common in savanna areas, lowland and bushland.

It permanently occupies termite mounds, where it can live for years, if not disturbed. Mainly nocturnal, when it is active for hunting but during daylight it basks near its retreat.

Behaviour: Usually not aggressive, it can however show an impressive posture with large flattened neck. It has a powerful venom. It seldom practices thanatosis if threatened. It is not a spitting cobra. It feeds in rodents, birds, toads, other snakes and lizards.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying 8-33 eggs in early summer.

Distribution: All over Zimbabwe and Mozambique; Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa and in eastern Botswana.

FOREST COBRA (Naja melanoleuca)

Main features: It is the largest cobra in Africa. Colour is usually yellowish-brown on head, neck and foreparts, while the posterior turns into black or dark brown. Below is creamy white to yellow.

Habitat: Lowland forests and highlands forests, Also common in coastal thickets. Diurnal as well nocturnal, Equally at home on the ground and in trees. Good swimmer.

Behaviour: If disturbed it quickly retreats but if cornered it spreads a wide flattened neck and bites rapidly. It feeds on toads, birds, frogs, other snakes and small mammals. Occasionally, it may feed on fish. It is not a spitting cobra. Despite the powerful venom, snakebites accidents are very rare.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying 11-26 white eggs in summer.

Distribution: Eastern Highlands and Chimanimani mountains. Eastern coastal area in South Africa.

ZAMBEZI GARTER SNAKE (Elapsoidea boulengeri)

Main features: Dark chocolate brown to black in colour, with 8-17 narrow white bands on the back and up to 3 white bands on the tail. Bands usually disappear in older individual, while juveniles have a white head. Belly is usually dark grey or brown (occasionally white).

Habitat: It is a ground snake, found in a wide variety of environments – savanna and also lowland forest, Karoo scrub, and grasslands. Mainly nocturnal.

Behaviour: Very seldom encountered, despite its wide distribution. Very reluctant to bite, even if handled. If molested, it coils and hisses.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying 4-10 eggs.

Distribution: All over Zimbabwe, central Mozambique, Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa, Okavango Delta and eastern Botswana.

MOZAMBIQUE SPITTING COBRA (Naja mossambica)

Main features: Grey to olive brown, with dark-edged scales. Below is salmon pink (sometimes yellowish) with black cross- bars and blotches on the throat.

Habitat: Very common in the whole Southern Africa region, found from savanna to lowveld forests, as well in broken rocky country.

It shelters in termite mounds, hollow logs, and abandoned animals holes, often near permanent water sources.

More active at night, it can move as well on overcast days. During daylight it basks near its retreat, but juveniles are very active during the day as well. Both terrestrial and arboreal.

Behaviour: If disturbed it may spread the hood, but not for long. It usually prefers to retreat quickly into its’ burrow. It is a spitting cobra, able to spit its venom from more than 2 m distance. Its particular venom canal in the fangs turns at a right angle, for a half-length of the fang, allowing the snake to spit even with the head almost at ground level. It can spit venom without flattening the hood, like most other spitting cobras do.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying 10-22 eggs in midsummer.

Distribution: Widely distributed all over Zimbabwe, Okavango Delta and eastern Botswana, North and eastern South Africa, as well as Mozambique (except in the south).

RINKHALS (Hemachatus haemachatus)

Main features: Rinkhals are not a true cobra and differ from true cobras They differ from true cobras by having keeled scales and by giving birth to live young (ovoviviparous) rather than laying eggs. Very variable in colour, but usually olive to dark brown or black, both above and below. One or two white cross- bands present on the throat, clearly seen when hood is displayed.

Sometimes they enter in a banded phase with creamy cross-bands along the entire body.

Habitat: Both ground dweller and arboreal, it is found in savanna, lowland forests, grassland and South Africa’s fynbos. In South Africa it is common in urban areas as well, particularly near dams. Mainly diurnal, it can however be active at night.

Behaviour: It quickly disappears when disturbed, but if cornered it spreads the hood and may effectively spit venom to 2 or 3 m distance. Aim is not as accurate as the Mozambique spitting cobra, but it usually spits twice in the aggressor direction. It may practice thanatosis if approached closely. If picked up when playing dead, it might promptly strike. Snakebites are rare.

Reproduction: It is ovoviviparous, giving birth to 20-30 young (sometimes up to 63) in late summer.

Distribution: Very common all over South Africa, except in north-west. In Zimbabwe is found in Eastern highlands only.

BERG ADDER (Bitis atopos)

Main features: Greyish olive to dark brown or black, with a silvery-white dorsolateral line on both side of the body and a double series of sub-triangular marks on dorsal area.

Despite belonging to the adder family, the venom is mainly neurotoxic and mainly affects optic and facial nerves.

Habitat: It prefers mountain areas, both rocky or grassland, from sea level up to 3000 m altitude. Terrestrial and diurnal.

Behaviour: Despite retreating quickly if disturbed, its bad temper makes it hiss loudly and strike readily if approached. It mainly feeds on lizard, amphibians and small rodents.

Reproduction: It is ovoviviparous, giving birth to 4-16 young in late summer. Mating occurs in autumn. Females produce more than 1 batch of young from a single mating.

Distribution: Endemic of South Africa, it is also found in Zimbabwe, on Eastern Highlands, from Mount Nyangani to Chimanimani range.

PUFF ADDER (Bitis arietans arietans)

Main features: The most common adder in Souther Africa, with a stout and relatively short body. Colour above varies from bright to light yellow, to yellow- brown, orange-brown, light brown or grey. The chevron-like dark marking over the back is a distinctive feature,

Dark bands or bars on the tail. Below is yellowish white to grey with black blotches.

Generally, the populations from dryer areas are paler in colour.

Habitat: Widely distributed, it is not found in true desert but rather in mountain tops, and dense forest only.

Behaviour: It is a slow-moving, bad-tempered snake, that gets excited easily. If disturbed, may loudly hiss or puff. It rarely moves away when approached. It is responsible for many snakebite accidents, due to its excellent camouflage and habit of basking on footpaths, so peoples often accidentally step on it. Locomotion is on a straight line, using a “caterpillar” movement, but it can rapidly move in serpentine motion.

They feed on rats, mice, other rodents and small terrestrial mammals, but they can also feed on birds, lizard, toads and, occasionally, on other snakes. Prey is ambushed, and large prey is released after the bite, and left to die: then the Puff adder follows the prey’s scent and swallows it, starting from the head.

Reproduction: It is ovoviviparous, giving birth to 20-40 (exceptionally up to 80) young in late summer. Males engage in wrestling combats for mating rights. There is a notable dimorphism in this species, with female longer, with shorter tail and with heavier body than male.

Distribution: It is present all over Southern Africa.

GABOON VIPER (Bitis gabonica)

Main features: One of the largest adders in Africa with a bulky, sluggish body. Colouring above is various shade of dark and light brown, pearly white, purple and pink. A broad light vertebral stripe is broken up by diamond-like markings. From the belly, black to purple triangles arise, matching with the underpart diamonds markings.

This colouration provides an excellent camouflage among leaf litter, making the Gaboon viper almost invisible. Eyes are small with vertical pupils. The head is flattened and triangle-shaped, mainly light brown, with lateral dark brown to black markings behind the eyes.

Vipers are a specific family of snakes (Viperidae) characterized by their long, retractable fangs and usually triangular-shaped heads. While all vipers are technically considered adders, not all adders are vipers. The term “adder” is broader and can may encompass different snake families. 

Habitat: Moist wooded lowland forests and rainy forests on the Eastern Highland escarpment of Zimbabwe. Terrestrial and both diurnal and nocturnal, although is mainly active at night.

It is a placid snake, which may remain in the same spot for days. If disturbed, it usually raises the front part of its’ body, horizontally, emitting a deep hiss. Even then it is reluctant to strike.

It ambushes its prey, like the Puff adder, but will hold them until they die, rather than let them run and die elsewhere, unless the prey is of exceptional size. Favourite prey include rodents, hares, ground birds and toads, but it can also catch duikers and small monkeys.

Despite its powerful cytotoxic venom and the huge fangs, capable of injecting a large amount of venom in a single bite, snakebite accidents are rare.

Behaviour:

Gaboon vipers are generally considered calm and non-aggressive snakes, and will often avoid striking even when handled or approached closely. If they feel threatened, they may hiss loudly, flatten their head slightly, and adopt a strike posture as a warning. While reluctant to bite, they are capable of incredibly fast strikes when necessary for defense or hunting. 

They feed on rats, mice, other rodents and small terrestrial mammals, but they can also feed on birds, lizards, toads and, occasionally, on other snakes. Prey is ambushed – the Gaboon viper lying in wait for prey to pass by before striking.

Reproduction: It is ovoviviparous, giving birth to 16-30 young in late summer. During autumn and early winter, males engage wrestling combats for mating rights, also striking each other with mouth closed (no bites).

It can hybridize with the Puff adder.

Distribution: Founded in Zimbabwe Eastern Highlands and central Mozambique, from Chimanimani range down to Zambezi valley. In South Africa is found in Kwa-Zulu Natal coastal area.

RHOMBIC NIGHT ADDER (Causus rhombeatus)

Main features: Colouration on upper part of the body is of various shades of grey, olive or light brown with a series of large rhombic markings.

The head has a distinctive black or dark brown with V-shaped markings pointing forward and extending between the eyes. Below is pearly white to yellowish or light grey. It has poor eyesight.

Habitat: It prefers damp environments in moist savanna and lowland forests, preferably close to dams and rivers. Both nocturnal and diurnal, it is mainly terrestrial.

Behaviour: It is a docile snake, that moves off if given the choice but, if cornered, it coils, inflates the body with air and hisses, striking violently. It feeds almost exclusively on toads and frogs.

Reproduction: It is the only oviparous adder. It lays to 7-26 eggs, 2 – 3 times a year.

Distribution: Founded in the north and eastern Zimbabwe to Midlands and Hwange area. Also present in central Mozambique, along the Kaprivi and Chobe strip in Botswana/Namibia and in South Africa from the Cape to the far north of the country.

SNOUTED NIGHT ADDER (Causus defilippii)

Main features: It’s a small snake, and the body is pale brown to pinkish brown with a broad dark band down the back and 20 to 30 dark triangular dorsal blotches. On the head there is a distinct V-shape marking extending to between the eyes. Its upturned snout is a distinct characteristic.

Habitat: Usually found close to water in moist savanna, lowland forests and grassland. Mainly terrestrial, it is both active at night and during daylight.

Behaviour: Although its’ venom is slightly cytotoxic and not dangerous to humans, when threatened, this adder inflates its body, hisses and puffs, and will strike very quickly. It feeds almost exclusively on frogs and toads.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying 3-9 eggs in summer. Males engage in fierce combats for mating rights and they wrestle until the dominant male pushes down the adversary to the ground.

Distribution: Present all over Zimbabwe, except in Mashonaland-West and southern part of the country. Also present in central and far south Mozambique. In South Africa is found in Mpumalanga and in Kwa-Zulu Natal coastal region.

SOUTHERN STILETTO SNAKE (Atractaspis bibronii)

Main features: A small snake, with uniform purple-brown to black colour on the upper part of the body, while below is pinkish white or dark brown to black. When shedding it may have a blueish appearance. Fangs are fixed and horizontal, facing backward on the upper jaws.

If held behind the head, the Stiletto snake can readily twist its’ head and pierce handler fingers sideways, making it impossible to handle this snake in the usual way.

Habitat: It is found in a wide variety of environment, from moist savanna to Namib desert. It is a burrowing snake, usually found in old termite mounds, under rotting logs or under sun-warmed rocks.

Behaviour: It usually emerges from its burrow during warm evening, particularly after the rain. It rapidly pierces with its very particular fangs and, if handled, it may also use the sharp tip of its tail against the person holding it, giving the impression that it is biting. Despite the cytotoxic venom, the bite can cause severe pain, Stiletto snakebite is not fatal and usually treated symptomatically.

It feeds on frogs, small rodents, burrowing reptiles, hunting them in their burrows.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying to 3-7 eggs in midsummer.

Distribution: Present in most of Southern Africa region, including Zimbabwe, Botswana, central and northern Namibia, Mozambique and northern and north-east regions of South Africa.

BOOMSLANG (Dispholidus typus)

Main features: A long arboreal snake with a variation in colour greater than in any other Southern African snake. The distinctive characteristic of Boomslang are the enormous eyes and strongly keeled dorsal scales. Males can be green to olive green, with or without black interstitial skin, and belly is similar but lighter in colour. They can also be bright green with black edged scales, which give the snake a cross-barred appearance.

Another variation in males is dark brown to black with bright yellow belly. Black above with black-edged dark grey belly scales is also found in some male individuals.

Females are light to olive brown with dirty white to brown belly. Juveniles are light grey to brown above, with a fine stippling of blue, especially on the anterior part. The head is grey to brown above with vivid yellow to orange throat. Below, they are white to yellowish with dark speckles. When they are about 1 m long, colour changes to that of the adults.

Haemotoxic venom from Boomslang is considered the most toxic venom among Southern African snakes.

Habitat: It is found in a wide variety of habitats, throughout Southern Africa, as long as trees are available: from savanna to lowland forests to grassland. Usually absent from central Highveld.

Behaviour: It is usually a shy snake, active during the day. It spends most of the time in trees and shrubs, but may get down to ground to hunt or bask. If disturbed, it disappears among tree leaves or shrubs and only if seriously provoked inflates the neck (more than twice the normal size) and part of the body. It can strike sideways and forward.

Boomslang have superior vision compared to other snakes and can easily detect stationary prey. When it hunts (mainly on trees, but occasionally on the ground as well), it bites the prey and firmly holds it, injecting the venom with its back-fangs through the typical “chewing” jaws movement, until the prey is dead. Its’ prey is chameleons, arboreal lizards, birds, nestlings, eggs and frogs. Small mammals are seldom taken.

Despite the very toxic venom, snakebite accidents with this snake are extremely rare, due to its’ arboreal life and shy behaviour.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying to 8-15 (sometimes up to 27) eggs in late springtime, in hollow tree trunks, rotting logs or among leaf litter.

Distribution: Present in most of Southern Africa regions. Only absent from southern Namibia and western region of South Africa.

VINE or TWIG SNAKE (Thelotornis capensis)

Main features: A slender tree-living snake with a bright orange-red tongue, with black tip.

Eyes are very characteristic with their horizontal pupil and powerful eyesight.

Colouration provides excellent camouflage and when motionless in a tree or shrub, this snake really looks like a branch or a twig.

Above is ash-grey or grey-brown with darker and lighter blotches and flecks of black, orange and/or pink. 1 or 2 dark blotches on the neck side. The head above is pale blue-green, speckled with dark brown, black and sometimes pink. A mainly white band runs along the upper lip, from snout to the back of the head. Chin and throat are white, speckled with black. Below, it’s pinkish white to light grey, speckled with black.

Habitat: Preferred habitat is trees and shrubs. In savanna and lowland forest. Active during the day.

Behaviour: Relying on its exceptional camouflaging colouration, Twig snakes can remain motionless in the same position for days, from which it hunts for chameleons, lizards and frogs, as well as, occasionally, for birds and other snakes. It is timid and retiring, but if threatened, it inflates the neck displaying the bright skin and can strike quickly. There is no antivenom for its haemotoxic venom.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying to 4-18 eggs in late summer, but female may produce more than 1 clutch of eggs in a season.

There is a notable dimorphism in this species, with females longer and with a heavier body than males. Before mating season, males engage in wrestling combats for mating rights.

Distribution: Present in southern region of Zimbabwe, eastern region of Botswana and northern region of South Africa.

DWARF WHIP SNAKE (Psammophis angolensis)

Main features: A small gentle snake with grey to yellowish upper colouration, crossed by a broad dark brown stripe down the centre of the back. The head is dark brown with 3 narrow pale cross-bars and the neck has 1 or 2 dark collars.

The lips, throat and belly are white to yellowish or caramel coloured.

Habitat: It is a terrestrial snake and its’ preferred habitat is moist savanna. Active during the day.

Behaviour: a secretive and gentle snake that rarely attempts to bite, even when first handled; if disturbed it darts off and freezes in the typical whip shape. It actively hunts among grass and fallen logs, feeding on small lizard, shrinks and frogs

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying to 3-5 eggs.

Distribution: Present all over Zimbabwe, and also in central Mozambique, Okavango Delta, Kaprivi/Chobe riverfront and northern region of South Africa.

SPOTTED BUSH-SNAKE (Philothamnus semivariegatus)

Main features: A beautiful and graceful snake with big eyes. Above colouration is usually bright green to olive green with black spots or cross- bars on the anterior or 2/3 part of the body. The dorsal colouration of specimens from Zimbabwe is usually blue-green. Head is green or blue-green, while underparts are greenish white to yellowish (lemon yellow in specimens from Zimbabwe).

Ventral scales are keeled, allowing the snake to easily climb tree’s bark and walls. Tongue is blue with black tip

Habitat: Moist savanna, lowland forest, river banks, preferring shrubs and bushes, but also present in rocky regions. Active during the day.

Behaviour: A harmless snake that retreats when disturbed. If cornered may inflate the throat, raise the head and undulate the neck. It has no fangs, nor venom. Active during the day, at night it sleeps coiled on top of tree branches. It moves comfortably on the ground as well on trees, shrubs and walls. It feeds on lizards, chameleons and frogs.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying to 3-12 eggs in midsummer.

Distribution: It is found all over Zimbabwe, in central and southern Mozambique, Mpumalanga and Indian Ocean coastal region of South Africa, Okavango Delta and northern and eastern region of Botswana, eastern part of Namibia.

OLIVE GRASS-SNAKE (Psammophis mossambicus)

Main features: A uniform olive brown coloured snake, with black-edged scales on the back that appears like longitudinal dark lines. Lips are pale with finely black- edged reddish brown spots or blotches.

The underparts is generally white to yellow. Tongue is long and black.

Habitat: Moist savanna and lowland forest, mostly near water. Active during the day. It is both terrestrial and a shrub climber but it spends most of the time on the ground.

Behaviour: It is a very nervous snake, very difficult to approach closely, because it retreats and hides promptly when disturbed. It usually lifts the front part of the body well off the ground, and so it is often confused for the Black mamba from a distance.

It feeds on lizards, frogs, small mammals, other snakes and occasionally on birds.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, laying to 10-30 eggs in midsummer.

Distribution: It is found all over Zimbabwe, in central and southern Mozambique, north-east region of South Africa, northern Botswana and north-east Namibia.

FILE SNAKE (Mehelya capensis)

Main features: It’s a robust snake with triangular body shape, covered with rough strongly keeled scales (hence the common name). The upper part of the body is grey to grey-brown or purplish brown, with a distinctive white to creamy vertebral stripe, running all along the body. The belly is ivory to yellowish colour.

Habitat: It inhabits moist savanna and lowland forests. It’s a nocturnal snake, mainly terrestrial, but it can climb shrubs in search of food.

Behaviour: It’s a docile and inoffensive snake, that rarely attempt to bite even when first handled. It spends most of the day hiding in ground holes, wall cavities, hollow logs or abandoned termite mounds, only emerging at dusk to hunt. It is particularly active after rain. If captured, it releases a foul-smelling substance from anal glands. It appears to have a certain immunity to other snake’s venom. It mainly feeds on other snakes, including venomous snakes like Black mamba and Puff adder, but it can also feed on lizards, toads and small mammals.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, it lays 5-13 eggs in summer and a female can lay more than one clutch in a season.

Distribution: It is found all over Zimbabwe, in central and southern Mozambique, Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa, Kaprivi strip and a very limited northern region of Namibia.

MOLE SNAKE (Pseudaspis cana)

Main features: It’s a robust constrictor with a characteristic pointed snout and small head, which are adaptations to its burrowing life.

The upper parts of the body is uniformly light grey to light brown, dark brown, brick red or black. Underparts are yellowish.

Habitat: Particularly common in sandy scrub-covered regions and grassland, however it can adapt to a variety of habitats, including mountain regions and deserts. It’s mainly a burrowing snake, active during the day.

Behaviour: As a burrowing snake, it spends most of the time underground in search of food. It mainly feeds on moles and rodents, that are seized by the head and constricted. It also feeds on small land mammals, birds, nestlings and eggs.

Reproduction: It is ovoviviparous, it gives birth to 25-50 young (sometimes up to 95) in late summer.

Distribution: It is found all over Southern Africa except Mozambique (where it is present only in the far southern region) and Atlantic coastal region of Namibia.

BROWN HOUSE SNAKE (Lamprophis capensis)

Main features: It’s a common nocturnal constrictor, feeding on rodents. Upper parts are light to reddish brown, often with reddish blotches on the anterior parts of the body. Sometimes can be dark olive to black. Two light stripes run on either side of the head, from the snout to the back of the head, sometimes continuing along the body for 1/3 of its length.

The underpart is yellowish to pearl-white.

Habitat: It is found almost everywhere and it is very common around human dwellings. It is nocturnal and mainly lives on the ground (but it can climb walls and shrubs).

Behaviour: It’s a docile constrictor and a very effective pests controller: it feeds on rats and mice and can devour an entire family of rodents in a single session. It is very docile, but it can bite readily if threatened.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, it lays 8-18 eggs in summer.

Distribution: It is found all over Southern Africa.

SOUTHERN AFRICAN PYTHON (Python natalensis)

Main features: It is the largest snake in Southern Africa and a powerful constrictor. Body colour is dark brown on upper part, with grey- brown blotches and dark speckling. On the side it has widely spaced dark blotches. The head has a dark arrowed marking, Underpart is white to dirty white with dark blotches.

Habitat: It is widespread, preferring rocky outcrops in arid and moist savanna, as well as lowland forest. Both diurnal and nocturnal, it is more active at night, while during the day it basks or stays motionless digesting meals. It is comfortable on the ground, as well as on trees and rocks.

Behaviour: It is an apparently slow and docile snake, but it can bite readily: although it doesn’t have venom, its teeth are sharp, recurved and usually with a high bacterial charge. Together with its considerable size (a large Python can have a head as big as the one of a medium size dog!), Pythons can inflict serious injuries that need medical attention. It ambushes the prey, catching it with its powerful mouth and keeping it held firmly while it coils around the prey’s body, constricting unti the victim dies from lack of breath and heart failure. Favourite prey are cane rats, dassies, hares, monkeys, small antelopes, small land mammals and ground birds, but it can occasionally take monitor lizards, fish and even juvenile crocodiles.

The Python does not need to anchor its body to catch and constrict prey, as people often believe. It’s a good swimmer and it can dive for fairly long periods.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, it lays 30-60 eggs (exceptionally 100). The Python is one of the few snakes that show a certain degree of parental care. The female, in fact, lay the eggs in a termite mounds, abandoned ant bear hole or any other suitable place, and coils around the eggs until they hatch. Her body not only provides protection, but also the necessary heat for the eggs to hatch. She achieves this by darkening her body to absorb more heat, then coiling around the eggs or newborns in a burrow, alternating with bouts of basking in the sun to raise her body temperature. During this period, the female only leaves the eggs to drink and bask and she never feeds.

Eggs hatch after 2-3 months and the young remain with the mother for 1 to 3 weeks, until the first shed is completed. After that they move off on their own. Sexual maturity is reached around 10 years.

Distribution: It is found all over Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa, Okavango Delta, Kaprivi strip and in central and northern Namibia.

Ecology: Pythons have an extremely important role in ecology as they are very effective in rodent population control. However they have been actively hunted for their skin, which is still used in traditional medicine and rituals in Southern Africa. Their population has drastically declined and it is now considered a vulnerable species.

Zimbabwe laws (Parks And Wildlife Act [Chapter 20:14] ) considers the Southern African python a “specially protected animal” (the only reptile in this category).

COMMON EGG-EATER (Dasypeltis scabra)

Main features: Scales are roughly keeled. Colour is grey-brown or dark or light brown above, with a series of dark squarish blotches down the back and narrow dark bars either side of the body. On the nape there is a V-shaped marking and other two narrower are present on the head. Underpart is white, sometimes with dark spots.

The inside of the mouth is black as well as the tongue and, due to its particular diet, its teeth are greatly reduced and virtually absent.

Habitat: It is found all over Southern Africa, except in true desert and closed-canopy forests. More abundant in thornveld and grassland.

It is mainly nocturnal, while during the day hides in burrows, under rocks or loose barks.

Behaviour: When disturbed, it coils and uncoils, rubbing the keeled scales against each other, so producing a rasping sound very similar to the hissing of some adders. It can also viciously strike out.

It feed on birds’ eggs. Each egg is taken into its virtually toothless mouth and passed on to the neck region. There, a series of bony projections (that are part of the vertebrae), together with muscular contraction, crush the eggshell and the contents are swallowed. The crushed shell is then regurgitated.

Reproduction: It is oviparous, it lays 6-25 eggs in summer.

Distribution: It is found all over Southern Africa.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gianni Bauce is a professional guide based in Zimbabwe, accredited by Zimbabwe Parks And Wildlife Authority, member of the Zimbabwe Professional Guides Association (Z.P.G.A.) and of the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (F.G.A.S.A.).

He became a snake handler in 2006, at African Reptiles And Venom, in Johannesburg (South Africa), under the tutorship of Mike Perry (one of the top experts of snakes in South Africa) and he qualified in “Snake Handling and Snakebite Treatment”, as well as in “Advanced Black Mamba Handling”.