South Africa is home to a diverse range of snakes, from venomous species to those that use constriction to immobilize their prey. This article provides information on some of the most common snakes you might encounter in South Africa, with a focus on identification and safety.
Unfortunately, there are so many snakes that live in South Africa that it would be impossible to list each one. Youâll see that the snakes in South Africa are very different from each other. In addition, certain snakes are common to find living around people. If so, you have come to the right place.
Snake Identification video series No 1
Key to Identifying Snakes in South Africa
To continue your identification down to the species level, use the dichotomous key following the genus description in Snakes of Central and Western Africa.
In the event that the Lucid Key is nonfunctional, or if you want to download a key for use offline, a backup key has been made and can be downloaded here. This key was created in Microsoft Excel 2010, so software able to open .xlsx files is required to use this key.
Political map of zone covered by this key.
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Common Snakes in South Africa
1. Puff Adder (Bitis arietans)
This ill-tempered native snake roams savannas, grasslands, and densely populated areas. The Puff Adder gets its name from how it inflates itself when threatened. Its distinctive chevron pattern in yellow, white, and brown colors allows the Puff Adder to blend into its surroundings. This camouflage is particularly useful for its lifestyle as an ambush predator.
The Puff Adderâs venom contains a cytotoxin that can kill a healthy adult human within a day. Their potent venom and tendency to loiter around footpaths make this snake one to avoid.
2. Cape House Snake (Boaedon capensis)
Adults are 60 cm (24 in) on average, but they can grow up to 120 cm (47 in). The belly is creamy white, with stripes running along the body. The Cape House Snake is frequently seen in grassy and suburban areas, but it doesnât stop there.
Luckily, these snakes are harmless to humans. They slowly drag themselves around at night to catch unsuspecting rodents, lizards, and birds. The Cape House Snake is popular among exotic pet owners due to being low-maintenance. However, owners should be careful to keep these snakes separated.
3. Boomslang (Dispholidus typus)
Coloration varies greatly, allowing these snakes to camouflage in different terrains. Boomslangs have an egg-shaped head and notably large eyes. This slender snake in South Africa makes its home in low-lying trees. In fact, its common name Boomslang means âtree snakeâ in Afrikaans and Dutch.
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This snakeâs venom is highly potent, causing bleeding and death for humans, even in small doses. When confronted, the Boomslang will freeze and then swing its head from side to side before quickly attacking. Fortunately, Boomslangs wonât attack humans except as a last resort. If you are bitten, seek immediate treatment.
4. Cape Cobra (Naja nivea)
Their colors vary, ranging from bright yellow, dark brown, and reddish black to speckled. The Cape Cobra is found along savannas, shrublands, and deserts. Be extra careful if you find yourself within Cape Cobra territory.
Among snakes in South Africa, itâs considered one of the most dangerous because its venom targets the respiratory and nervous systems. Seek immediate treatment if bitten because victims have been reported to die within an hour. Like most snakes, the Cape Cobra prefers to flee than fight. However, it can strike without notice if it feels trapped.
5. Spotted Bush Snake (Philothamnus semivariegatus)
The upper half of the body can be yellow, green, or blue, while the tail-end is brown. You might also find black spots or stripes. You might encounter the Spotted Bush Snake in South Africa in forested areas or suburban gardens.
These beautifully-patterned snakes have keeled, or ridged, belly scales, allowing them to easily climb walls, trees, and bushes. Often misidentified as the more dangerous Green Mamba, Spotted Bush Snakes are non-venomous and harmless to humans. Spotted Bush Snakes are alert, nervous animals and will immediately flee upon sensing danger. They donât have established territories and are noted to travel far and wide in pursuit of their prey.
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6. Stripe-bellied Sand Snake (Psammophis mossambicus)
As its common name suggests, it has prominent stripes along the body from head to tail. Look for a slender head and large eyes. Try not to blink, or you might miss seeing one of the fastest snakes in South Africa!
Stripe-bellied Sand Snakes are swift enough to successfully hunt birds, lizards, rodents, and even other snakes. The Stripe-bellied Sand Snake frequents arid habitats such as savannas and rocky hillsides. Here, it indulges in one of its favorite pastimes- basking in the sun!
Interestingly, they share a trait commonly seen in house geckos. If a predator catches its tail, the snake snaps it off and slithers away to nearby shrubs and trees for safety.
7. Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis)
Adults are 200-450 cm (79-177 in). Its coloring is usually brown, olive green, or yellow. In small woodlands and rocky outcrops of sub-Saharan South Africa lurks what many consider the worldâs deadliest snake. The Black Mamba is named after the inky coloring of the inside of its mouth, something you should hope never to see!
The fatally potent venom of the Black Mamba targets the nervous system and the heart. Difficulty breathing can occur within 10 minutes. If you get bitten, itâs a race against time, so get medical attention immediately!
In addition to their highly toxic venom, Black Mambas are terrifyingly fast. Contrary to popular belief, these snakes are rather shy and will choose to escape when given a chance. They raise their heads, spread their cobra-like neck hoods, and hiss loudly as a warning to would-be attackers.
8. Red-lipped Snake (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia)
This snake can grow to 70-100 cm (28-39 in) long. Coloration is usually olive green or gray on the back, sometimes speckled white. Its head is notably black. The head is broad and triangular, while the tail is short. Youâll find Red-lipped Snakes near marshlands, bogs, and lowland forests in South Africa. They also gravitate towards the suburbs, so you might bump into one in your backyard after an evening rain.
Most active during the night, these land snakes prey on amphibians such as toads and frogs. Their venom is mild, effective only on their chosen prey, and harmless to humans. Donât test your luck, though. Red-lipped snakes have a trigger-happy temper when provoked.
Interestingly, the Red-lipped Snake got its other common name, the Herald Snake, from a newspaper story.
9. Southern African Python (Python natalensis)
It regularly grows longer than four meters (13 feet), and some rare individuals reach a staggering six meters (20 feet) long! This pythonâs main diet consists of warm-blooded animals like monkeys, large birds, and even young antelopes. If warm-blooded prey isnât abundant, it will eat fish and even small crocodiles.
Although theyâre non-venomous, theyâre big enough to kill and eat humans on rare occasions! Thankfully, Southern African Pythons are not aggressive and usually donât bother people.
10. Gaboon Viper (Bitis gabonica)
Incredibly, they can grow up to 6 cm (2.3 in) long. Interestingly, its fangs arenât the only unusual thing about this species. It also has the highest venom yield of any snake worldwide because of its hunting style.
Watch your step because this nocturnal viper has near-perfect camouflage. Itâs practically invisible amid fallen leaves on the forest floor and can remain motionless for hours hunting small birds and mammals. The Gaboon Viperâs venom can be fatal in large doses or cause severe necrosis in the bite area. Fortunately, bite incidents are rare.
11. Olive Whip Snake (Psammophis mossambicus)
Itâs mostly olive-brown, but some specimens are black. There are dark-edged scales along the neck and body. This snake in South Africa is a common resident of grasslands and swamplands.
You might find the Olive Whip Snake prowling near water sources during the day, so keep a keen eye out! The Olive Grass Snake is not nearly as venomous as the Black Mamba, but it often gets mistaken for one. This is due to its size and tendency to lift its forebody off the ground to an impressive height.
Despite its weight, the Olive Grass Snake moves incredibly fast. And while it prefers a speedy retreat when sensing danger, it may choose to lunge and bite. Fortunately, its venom is mild for humans.
12. Brown Forest Cobra (Naja subfulva)
They are mostly brownish yellow on the head, darkening to pitch black on the tail. Other notable characteristics are black stripes under the eyes and a band of small black dots near the throat. Brown Forest Cobras are mostly limited to savanna woodlands in South Africa.
This highly alert and intelligent cobra leaves its lair when the sun is out. Thankfully, snakebite incidents are rare because Brown Forest Cobras live far away from human civilization. Even if you encounter them, their first instinct is to flee.
13. Horned Adder (Bitis caudalis)
This species owes its common name to the prominent horn-like scale above each eye. As an ambush predator, this adder will bury itself into the sand just deep enough for its eyes to poke out. Then, it uses its black-tipped tail to lure prey in the form of geckos, rodents, and birds.
Horned Adders are most active at dusk. The venom, containing mild cytotoxins, has been known to cause serious pain and skin ulcers.
14. Twig Snake (Thelotornis capensis)
Twig Snakes hang perfectly still on branches of low shrubs, waiting for passing chameleons, frogs, and birds. They are patient predators and can maintain this posture for hours. Take great care when trekking through coastal forests and woodlands. Its coloration allows it to blend in with the bark and branches of trees.
The Twig Snakeâs venom is a slow-acting poison that can cause profuse bleeding and hemorrhage. One German herpetologist named Robert Mertens died 18 days after being bitten by his pet Twig Snake.
15. Mole Snake (Pseudaspis cana)
Colors are commonly gray, red, or black on the body. Juveniles are light brown with white zig-zags or spots. You are most likely to find one near rodent burrows where it spends the day foraging for its next meal.
A curious quirk of this muscular snake is that itâs viviparous. So instead of laying eggs as most reptiles do, the Mole Snake will give birth to live babies. Mole Snakes may be non-venomous, but you should still be careful if handling one. With strong, very sharp teeth, they can inflict deep wounds that need stitches. In addition, theyâre extremely aggressive.
The mole snake (Pseudaspis cana) is a species of snake. It has been placed in the family Lamprophiidae, and more recently in the family Pseudaspididae, along with the genus Pythonodipsas. It is native to much of southern Africa, and is the only member of the genus Pseudaspis.
A study showed that P. cana is caught and consumed by the honey badger, among other species. P. cana was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Its original binomial name was Coluber cana. Since then, it has also been called Coronella cana by André Marie Constant Duméril, Gabriel Bibron and Auguste Duméril in 1854, before being reclassified as Pseudaspis cana by Edward Drinker Cope in 1864.
P. cana is the only species in genus Pseudaspis. The genus has been placed in the family Lamprophiidae. The mole snake can grow to a total length (including tail) of 2 m (6 ft 7 in). A small head and pointed snout are characteristics of the species. It has a firm, tubular body.
The range of the mole snake encompasses most of southern Africa. P. cana is one of at least six snake species which cause reproductive loss and decrease of nest success in P. The mole snake lives in the abandoned burrows of other animals. It can be found in a variety of habitats, such as the scrublands of the South African Cape and the Highveld plateaux and grasslands.
The mole snake is viviparous, mating takes place in late spring (October), and the female gives birth to usually between 25 and 50 young, with as many as 95 possible. The mole snake can be "quite ferocious". Though not venomous, they can cause severe bite wounds.
16. Common Slug-Eater (Duberria lutrix)
Adults grow to only about 40 cm (16 in). Typically, they have black-striped green or brown backs, white and yellow bellies, and gray sides. Common Slug-Eaters are non-venomous snakes endemic to the damp grasslands of Southern South Africa.
True to their name, they feed on a specialized diet of snails and slugs. This snake is known to hunt its prey down by following slime trails. Once it locates a meal, it quickly swallows the soft body before the snail or slug can secrete foul, defensive mucus.
Table of Common Snakes in South Africa
| Snake Species | Venomous | Habitat | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puff Adder | Yes | Savannas, grasslands, populated areas | Distinctive chevron pattern, inflates when threatened |
| Cape House Snake | No | Grassy and suburban areas | Creamy white belly, stripes along body |
| Boomslang | Yes | Low-lying trees | Varies in color, egg-shaped head, large eyes |
| Cape Cobra | Yes | Savannas, shrublands, deserts | Colors vary, targets respiratory and nervous systems |
| Spotted Bush Snake | No | Forested areas, suburban gardens | Yellow, green, or blue upper body, harmless |
| Stripe-bellied Sand Snake | Mildly Venomous | Arid habitats, savannas, rocky hillsides | Prominent stripes, very fast |
| Black Mamba | Yes | Woodlands, rocky outcrops | Brown, olive green, or yellow, highly toxic venom |
| Red-lipped Snake | Mildly Venomous | Marshlands, bogs, lowland forests, suburbs | Olive green or gray, black head, mild venom |
| Southern African Python | No | Varied; warm-blooded animals | Very large; constrictor |
| Gaboon Viper | Yes | Forest floors | Camouflaged, high venom yield |
| Olive Whip Snake | Mildly Venomous | Grasslands, swamplands | Olive-brown, fast-moving |
| Brown Forest Cobra | Yes | Savanna woodlands | Brownish-yellow head, black tail |
| Horned Adder | Yes | Sandy areas | Horn-like scale above each eye |
| Twig Snake | Yes | Coastal forests, woodlands | Camouflaged, slow-acting poison |
| Mole Snake | No | Rodent burrows | Gray, red, or black, aggressive |
| Common Slug-Eater | No | Damp grasslands | Black-striped green or brown, eats slugs and snails |
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