| 1 | Ball python |
Maximum length: 182cm.
Around the world, there’s a small proportion of snakes which defend themselves not by attacking, but coiling up into a ball and stashing their own heads inside, protecting their brain. There’s one snake that undoubtedly rules this small section of the snake kingdom – the ball python (Python regius).
This popular captive species is found in central and western Africa, including Nigeria and Togo, where they helpfully swallow up rodents in crop fields. Alongside corn snakes, they’re perhaps the most popular snake in the worldwide pet trade. In 2005, 49,437 were exported from Togo alone.
Ball pythons are especially easy to feed, accepting simple pinkie mice, and they rarely nip your fingers when feeling threatened. Instead, they shift their coils into a tight, protective ball. They go from being a perfect tube to a perfect sphere. This event isn’t rare, as you only have to pick a ball python up for this sphere to form.
At an average of 1 metre, the pall python is one of the shortest pythons worldwide, and they lack an aggressive personality. Therefore, their best option is to coil up tight and protect their most vital organ as effectively as possible. Their closest relative worldwide is the Anchiete’s python of Namibia, which also forms a defensive ball.
| 2 | Wucherer’s ground snake |
This Amazon rainforest species is barely researched at all. Wucherer’s ground snakes range from Ecuador in the west to French Guiana in the northeast, covering much of the Amazon rainforest.
Hacking your way through a rainforest is difficult enough without trying to conduct research, and so far, we know just a few facts. Wucherer’s ground snake (Xenopholis scalaris) mainly preys on frog such as Physalaemus erikae, and varies in colour from orange to brown to grey. They’re mainly found on the leafy forest floor, rather than climbing high in branches.
However, something we know from the image above and first-hand observations is that when spooked, Wucherer’s ground snake hides its head beneath its coils. They ensure that every part of their body is showing except the most valuable part, the part which contains their brain, the centre of logic and reason.
Wucherer’s ground snakes have round pupils, and their underbelly is usually paler than their body. They’re usually found on leafy forest floors, occasionally large forest leaves 1-2 metres above ground. This species poses no threat to humans whatsoever.
| 3 | Indian wolf snake |
Maximum length: 84cm.
Of all common snakes in India, the Indian wolf snake (Lycodon aulicus) might be the one with the highest number of defensive strategies. They lack venom, but are able to play dead by flipping onto their back and gaping their mouth lifelessly. They have a vicious personality, and sharp fangs that can tear through human skin. They can also hiss, or flee rapidly into bushy undergrowth.
The final piece of this repertoire is hiding their head in a defensive shield of coils. If a human being or owl looms overhead, this 70-80cm species will rapidly rearrange its body, forming tight loops which shield its head from attack and potential obliteration.
The plan is to survive the encounter wounded, yet alive. Indian wolf snakes often invade human dwellings, yet strangely, get very defensive when they actually meet humans in them. This snake is extremely common, inhabiting virtually all of India (excluding deserts and the Himalaya), as well as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Predicting an Indian wolf snake’s next move is virtually impossible. Hiss, play dead, shield their brains in coils – which will it be? It’s possible that these strategies have evolved to fit different predators, or situations. Even humans wearing different coloured clothes may set them off differently. It’s possible that they’re more willing to fight in higher temperatures or humidity.
| 4 | Mud snake |
Maximum length: 207cm.
The mud snake is the gentle giant of Florida’s swamps. This is a species which occasionally reaches 2 metres, but either doesn’t realise that it can use its size to its advantage, or is kind-hearted and simply doesn’t want to.
Mud snakes (Farancia abacura) also live in Georgia and Alabama, and often bury themselves several metres deep in soft mud along swamp edges. In times of heavy rains, they become more adventurous, and can move several hundred metres onto land in exploratory expeditions. The swamps they live in are very dangerous, and their predators include alligators, cottonmouths and herons.
At a distance, the mud snake’s instinct is to go completely still and let the hungry predator walk past. This often leads to the eerie sight of a mud snake floating completely motionless on a swamp, bathed in the moonlight. If a hungry heron closes in, then the mud snake will coil into a tight ball with its head at the centre. Being a constrictor, the mud snake is relatively thick-bodied, meaning that they have plenty of material to shield themselves with.
Mud snakes are seen only rarely by the average Floridian, due to their preference for remote swamps. Yet surveys show that they’re abundant, so their non-offensive strategies must be paying off.
| 5 | Common slug eater |
Maximum length: 45.2cm.
To slugs, the common slug eater (Duberria lutrix) is the most terrifying creature in the world. To everyone else, it’s a small, humble creature which is just trying to get by.
Common slug eaters average at just 30cm, and are found in a large swathe of South Africa, especially damp regions where slugs prosper. Compared to a cape cobra, this species has nothing. They have no venom, they’re not fast, and they almost never bite. What they do have is determination, the drive to survive no matter what the African savannah throws at them.
If approached by a human, the common slug eater will first release a foul-smelling substance, to force its enemy to leave the vicinity. If touched, they’ll suddenly roll up into a tight spiral with their head concealed at the centre. This species has the Afrikaans nickname of Tabakrolletjie (tobacco roll), after their brain-concealing ways.
Duberra lutrix will gladly bear savage scars for the rest of its life, as long as it can survive the predatory assault and continue its quest for slugs. This snake is the most common member of the Duberria slug-eater genus (4 members).
| 6 | Cape wolf snake |
Maximum length: 65cm.
A common species of southern Africa, which occupies South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, northwards to Kenya. This species isn’t actually related to the Indian wolf snake, belonging to the 23-member Lycophidion genus instead. But they do share similar habits, including being slow-moving constrictors, which slowly creep up on their prey.
Another similarity is that when cornered by a predator, the cape wolf snake will suddenly coil up its body, placing its head at the centre, in order to protect its brain. They may also not fully coil up, but simply hide their head below the thickest area of their body. As cape wolf snakes lack any venom, unlike the deranged black mambas and cobras they coexist with, this might be their best shot at survival.
Cape wolf snakes are mainly found in open areas like savannahs, often lurking under stones. They initially grab their prey by the neck before applying constricting coils, and virtually all prey observed by scientists have been lizards. One of the few exceptions was a Philothamnus bush snake. Cape wolf snakes have few patterns, and are normally black-grey with a slight bluish tinge.
| 7 | Scarlet snake |
Maximum length: 82.3cm.
A humble Florida species which poses no threat to humans, and derives its calories from the yolks of turtle eggs laid underground. Scarlet snakes are completely non-venomous, and must rely on alternative forms of defence.
The first is being very difficult to track down. Scarlet snakes appear in coniferous forests and sparse flatwoods, but they’re unreliable, and it’s very difficult to predict which specific woods they’re lurking in. Secondly, they’re a burrowing species with a specially modified snout, allowing them to disappear into the soft forest floor at will.
If you do find the scarlet snake, then they’re almost defenceless. They lack any form of venom, and while they have enlarged front teeth for hacking through turtle egg shells, they never use these offensively for some reason. Instead, their last form of defence is simply to hide their head in their coils and hope for the best. A swipe of talons on their body might be survivable, whereas a piecing slash to their head might mean instant death.
The scarlet snake’s number 1 priority is protecting its brain. They combine this with another trick too – releasing a foul snake odour into the air. Together, these subtle snake skills force even the most patient racoon or fox to give up on its meal. Apart from this vile smell, the scarlet snake is completely safe to pick up, as they almost never bite, even if poked or podded.
| 8 | Viperine watersnake |
Maximum length: 96cm.
The viperine watersnake (Natrix maura) is one of the most common species in Spain, as well as Portugal and southern France. They typically measure 30cm, and live in lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers, occasionally venturing to the shores to hide in rock formations.
This species can be very common in certain lakes, but the disadvantage is that predatory birds are aware of this. They’re aware that there’s a bountiful supply of snake food just waiting to be exploited, and hence, the viperine watersnake has various defensive strategies. As the image shows, one of these is hiding their head in their coils, a trick also known to be deployed by the common grass snake, their close relative in the Natrix genus.
Viperine watersnakes have the ability to coil up, place their head directly at the centre, and protect their brain from harm. They may form this brain shield while in the palm of your hand, even if you have no attention of eating them (which most people don’t).
Viperine watersnakes also have the ability to triangulate their head, in order to mimic vipers (hence the name). They can swim away rapidly when pushed, or even slither away rapidly on land. They must be doing something right, as this species is very abundant in certain areas of Spain.
| 9 | Taczanowsky’s dwarf boa |
Maximum length: 39.1cm.
Taczanowsky’s dwarf boa is a tiny constricting snake found only in Ecuador and far northern Peru, which isn’t seen often by locals. While mountain sipos and Cope’s tropical racers spend their time zooming through Ecuador’s villagers and dirt roads, Taczanowsky’s dwarf boa prefers to live a shy forest life. This is a ground-dwelling species which is believed to prey mainly on frogs and tadpoles.
Taczanowsky’s dwarf boas have exceptional camouflage, as they’re not just brown, but seem to glisten with life just like an actual rainforest. They lack any venom, and have no sharp, tearing fangs. They have no means of attack whatsoever. Instead, if a savage predator arrives (or human), they tuck their head into tight coils and try bravely to withstand the onslaught.
If a claw strikes their tail, they’ll probably live. If a claw strikes their torso, they might die, while if a claw strikes their brain, they’ll definitely die. It’s an easy choice for Taczanowsky’s dwarf boa.
This species has an abundance of other defensive tricks as well. They’re able to use auto-haemorrhaging, when they deliberately spew blood from their body, including the eyes, perhaps to convince bird predators they’re already dead. Their camouflage is one of the best in Ecuador.
| 10 | Rubber boa |
Maximum length: 83.8cm.
This harmless snake lives in temperate woodlands and forests of California, as well as Oregon, Washington and southwest Canada. They spend much of their lives on cool, spacious forest floors, often close to popular weekend hiking trails.
Occasionally, they slither out onto the warm mountain slopes and admire the scenic vistas, but this poses a great risk. Rubber boas (Charina bottae) are relatively thick bodied, very brown, and easy to spot. If they venture out without due preparation, then a dark shadow could fall on their back, followed by the talons of a greedy falcon. The rubber boa is very non-aggressive, rarely attacking in self defence, so instead, its default is to protect its head in its coils.
Rubber boas measure 60-100cm and could fight if inclined, with decent constricting strength, but this has never been observed in the wild. This calm personality makes them popular in captivity, and most keepers eventually witness their brain-shielding tactics first hand.
The rubber boa preys on mammals such as deer mice and voles, and only appears in mild areas, never scorching deserts lower down. Their closest relative is the southern rubber boa, which only inhabits a few hills of southern California.