African Rock Python
The African Rock Python is a large snake reaching a maximum length of around 6.5 m. It feeds largely on warm-blooded prey like small antelope, monkeys, game birds and dassies, but also takes leguaans and even crocodiles.
Africa has its fair share of snakes with a large number of potentially deadly species. The majority of fatal bites, said to be in the region of 20,000 per year, occur in the drier parts of North Africa where Saw-scaled Vipers of the genus <i>Echis</i> are commonly encountered.
The African Rock Python is a large snake reaching a maximum length of around 6.5 m. It feeds largely on warm-blooded prey like small antelope, monkeys, game birds and dassies, but also takes leguaans and even crocodiles.
The Anchieta’s Cobra is very similar to the Snouted Cobra in both appearance and behaviour. It occurs from central Namibia into Angola, northern Botswana, Zambia and north-western Zimbabwe.
After the Mozambique Spitting Cobra and Puff Adder, the Stiletto Snake accounts for the majority of serious snakebites in South Africa. It spends most of its life underground but often emerges on hot humid nights and may be stepped on.
This is by far the largest venomous snake in Africa with a maximum length of 4.5 m (specimens over 3.8 m are rare). Despite its reputation it is a shy, elusive snake that is quick to escape but will not hesitate to strike repeatedly if cornered.
This snake is a large cobra that may exceed 2 m in length. The Black-necked Spitting Cobra is active both during the day and at night and covers fair distances in search of food. It is also at home in trees.
This is one of the most common and widespread snakes in Africa. It varies in colour from black to brown, olive-green, russet-red and beige. It has a light stripe from the nose through the top of the eye to the back of the head, a unique feature of the Brown House Snakes.
This is one of the most common and widespread snakes in Africa. There are a few Egg-eaters in Africa with quite similar patterns.
A large, secretive snake that spends much of its life underground, emerging on warm summer nights. It feeds on frogs, rodents and snakes including venomous ones.
The Common Purple-glossed Snake is a large fossorial snake, averaging 50–75 cm in length. It lives underground or in thick leaf litter where it hunts for lizards and snakes.