| 1 | Eastern stripe-bellied sand snake |
A harmless snake with a natural instinct to hide in dry shrubs when concerned for its life. This was originally a mere eastern subspecies of the western yellow-bellied sand snake (P. subtaeniatus), but was declared to be an independent species in 2002. This happened because scientists noticed that the two coincided in southern Zimbabwe without interbreeding.
Eastern stripe-bellied sand racers reach a maximum of 1.4 metres, but are normally 50-80cm. They live in moist savannahs with wide open surroundings, and like other Psammophis members, they’re extremely fast and twitchy. This snake probably has enough speed to slither between the legs of a charging rhino and not get trampled. If it really concentrated, it could probably slither up an elephant’s back and rest there comfortably, going unnoticed, at least until the oblivious elephant threw a splash of water onto its back, washing it away.
Eastern stripe-bellied sand snakes (Psammophis orientalis) secrete a rear-fanged venom, but would struggle severely to damage a human. Speed and agility is their survival secret. They feed on skink lizards, one being the variable skink. Bird and mammal prey have also been observed.
| 2 | Brown forest cobra |
The largest cobra in southern Africa, with a record length of 269cm. Naja subfulva is closely related to the main forest cobra, and was originally assigned as a subspecies. Bites are rare, though capable of causing rotting flesh. It has neurotoxic qualities, but isn’t anything unique for a cobra, as the standard antivenom works well. When pushed, brown forest cobras behave like other species and rear up with an intimidating neck flare.
Despite their brute size, brown forests cobras are very shy and default to fleeing. They move around cautiously and intelligently, unlike the rhombic skaapsteker which zips around as though it owns the place. This species is found roaming savannah woodlands and forests. Unlike a cape cobra, they rarely appear on beaches and cause holidaygoers to scatter.
Brown forest cobras inhabit most of Mozambique, excluding drier portions of the south. They’re usually a consistent brown, often with no white bands like the main forest cobra, but they gradually darken as the tail approaches.
| 3 | Fornasini’s blind snake |
A species of southern Mozambique and the extreme east of South Africa. Fornasini’s blind snake (Afrotyphlops fornasinii) has some of the most miniscule dots for eyes of any snake. As a digging underground dweller, their eyes became redundant, and gradually shrank and became less receptive to light. They’re also one of the shiniest snakes in existence, reflecting the full moon, a tourist guide’s torch, and a car’s headlights alike.
Fornasini’s blind snakes have virtually no patterns, just a consistent black, which makes confusing them with stiletto snakes easy. This species lives alongside elephants, zebras and giraffes, but out of sight, just below the surface, being the final part of the ensemble that nobody ever sees. Rather than forests, they prefer to hide in open areas like savannahs, grassland or sparse bushland.
Fornasini’s blind snakes measure just 15cm, peaking at 18cm, making them one of the smallest African snakes. This species might win a battle with a brown forest cobra, for the simple reason that the cobra would probably lunge and miss the tiny target. The blind snake would then vanish underground again, into tight tunnels which the cobra is completely incapable of accessing. Fornasini’s blind snakes are barely researched, but they’re assumed to prey on worms and maybe ants.
| 4 | Eastern vine snake |
A snake which chose to live in branches long ago, and slowly started to resemble a branch itself. The eastern twig snake has a nasty hemotoxic venom. Bites are rare, but can cause spontaneous, uncontrolled bleeding. Finding an eastern twig snake is hard in Mozambique, not because they’re rare, but because their camouflage is so effective.
Eastern twig snakes measure 100-120cm (record: 143.5cm). If you do find one, they’re easy to recognise. The eyes are particularly amazing, as the pupil is bizarrely shaped, like a keyhole. They have a green skull cap and this extends to the upper half of the eye untouched, but a brown stripe runs along their flanks, which also continues untouched through the centre of the eye. Eastern vine snakes are also recognisable by an orange tongue. They often engage in warfare with birds, which mob them in a flock of squawking and feathers.
Eastern twig snakes (Thelotornis mossambicanus) have no grudge against humans, but will get extremely enraged if you interrupt their favourite activity: resting aimlessly on branches. Actually, their lazy ways do have a purpose, which is scanning the floor for lizards. They generally prefer low lying shrubs to towering branches 20 metres high. This species mainly lives in northern Mozambique, and eastern Zimbabwe.
| 5 | Mozambique shovel snout |
This species lives in southern Mozambique, in coastal forests and moist inland savannah. Its signature shovel snout is designed for digging in soft substrate. Though a digger, they rarely go far below the surface, staying in the loose upper layers. Mozambique shovel-snouts (Prosynma janii) are most commonly sighted by ordinary people on roads. They’re attracted to sand, but also mulchy leaf litter.
Mozambique shovel snouts average at 25cm(max 31cm), and isn’t one of those deceptive species that hides a savage venom behind its diminutive size. When confronted, they give intimidation a shot, raising their upper body and swaying it back and forth rythmically, with their mouth hanging open.
Originally, Prosynma janii (and other shovel snouts) were thought to prey on reptiles. This was repeated so commonly that everyone assumed it was true, not thinking to question it. But one day, scientists decided to investigate museum remains and their stomach contents. They discovered that Prosymna snakes overwhelmingly feasted on reptile eggs, mostly soft shelled, but also harder gecko eggs. For Prosymna janii itself, 4 reptile eggs were discovered. This species has sharp (keeled) rather than smooth scales to touch.
| 6 | Marbled tree snake |
The marbled tree snake (Dipsadoboa aulicua) ranges from the extreme east of South Africa, through the vast majority of Mozambique. This is a nocturnal species, and during the day they stash themselves in gaps between tree bark, where they can watch the savannah go by from safety, with a clearer view than any expensive safari.
Dipsadoboa aulica measure up to 85cm, and are rare for having a clear white tip of the tongue, with the lower half black. The reasons have never been researched, but it’s possible that marbled tree snakes wiggle the end to lure in prey, which greedily mistake it for buzzing insects. Marbled tree snakes have many colourful details to pick out. There’s golden eyes with a vertical pupil, while their bodies alternate between snowy white and black, just like their tongue.
Marbled tree snakes don’t have the fastest reflexes and sometimes end up as roadkill, with a grisly tire mark over their back. They prey on reptiles, one confirmed being Setaro’s dwarf chameleon, which it swallows by the tail.
| 7 | Puff adder |
A thick, fat viper which measures up to 190cm, but is generally around 1 metre. Puff adders (Bitis arietans) control most of sub-Saharan Africa, and Mozambique is no exception. This species causes the highest number of snakebites in Mozambique, with its devastating cytotoxic venom.
In 2022, a study finally examined snakebite data from villages all over Mozambique. Before this, the Mozambique snake situation had barely been researched in a thorough analysis, just with whispers and rumours. The study concluded that farmlands were the most likely place to be bitten, and puff adders the top culprit, just ahead of stiletto snakes. Black mambas caused far fewer bites on farms, but greater amounts in villages. On the brighter side, most puff adder victims made it to hospital, while black mamba venom was so rapid that many Mozambique victims died within an hour.
There was one safe haven from the puff adder: homes. Here, the stiletto snake and Mozambique spitting cobra dominated. The latter has a horrific tendency to bite people when sleeping, sneaking into their bedrooms, but puff adders barely ever invade households. They’re lazy ambushers rather than explorers.
Overall, the study reached a dire conclusion: that 319 Mozambique citizens die of snakebite annually, out of 20,000-30,000 across Sub-Saharan Africa.
| 8 | Semiornate snake |
A shy snake always found in shelter, sometimes near water, at elevations of up to 2500 metres. Like humans have an eye for pizza, or lions have an eye for gazelle, semiornate snakes have an expert eye for places they can disappear.
Semiornate snakes lurk under logs, stones, vegetation corridors, and thick weeds at the edges of streams. This makes them difficult to find, though they’re not endangered or even rare. This snake loves cover and will never be found striding majestically alongside a herd of zebra across open plains. If caught, then they flee instantly rather than stand their ground.
Meizodon semiornatus are simple to recognise as younglings. Their black and grey cross bands resemble few other snakes in the southern African neighbourhood. But with age, these blend together into a monolithic grey blob. Their faces also have white markings which gradually shrink in size. The longest semiornate snake ever measured 76.7cm, a female from Tanzania. The longest male measured 61.9cm, also from Tanzania.
| 9 | Southern quill-snouted snake |
A harmless species recognisable by its pointy snout, which you could probably write letters with if you dabbed it in ink. Southern quill-snouted snakes (Xenocalamus transvaalensis) prefer sandy areas of southern Mozambique, and move only slowly, patiently inspecting leaf litter for prey.
Xenocalamus transvaalensis are always yellow and black, but this varies in proportion. Sometimes they’re black, shiny yet bland, while other times, the yellow between the scales expands and the black shrinks to dots. This species has tiny black eyes and averages at just 30cm long, with a maximum of 47cm. Instead of being a roaring, majestic 600 pound beast which looks cool but attracts the attention of virtually every killer in the savannah, Xenocalamus transvaalensis stays quiet and flies under the radar.
This snake is believed to feed on reptiles, specifically limbless skinks. In southern Mozambique, they overlap (but don’t interbreed) with another of their family members: the slender quill-snouted snake (Xenocalamus bicolor). Some snakes lay dozens of eggs, as insurance against hungry alligators or eagles. Quill-snouted snakes lay two large eggs instead, which are elongated and measure 28 x 6mm.
| 10 | Southern vine snake |
Part of the same family as the eastern twig snake. Their weird keyhole pupils are identical, as are their branch-loving habits, yet their colouring is wildly different. Southern vine snakes are parched-looking like a branch left in the sun, while eastern twig snakes have a grassy green head.
Their names are accurate; the southern twig snake (Thelotornis capensis) lives in South Africa and pushes northwards, while the eastern twig snakes ranges from Kenya southwards. The two just meet in the middle, specifically in Mozambique (and Zimbabwe), so the country contains both species.
The longest ever southern twig snake measured 168cm. This species also contains venom, with anticoagulant toxins, and no antivenom in existence. In one study, scientists tried and failed to use boomslang antivenom on a 13 year old victim. This boy wasn’t charged at, but tried to catch the snake in his hands, as it slithered smoothly through a bush. Three tiny puncture wounds were visible, and the boy complained of abdominal pain and was hyperventilating. After 5 hours, his blood was totally incoagulable, with prolonged bleeding, but at 20 hours post bite this had resolved. The boy was fine at a 6 day follow up, and escaped with no serious injuries.