The African Tiger Snake (Telescopus semiannulatus) is from central, eastern, and southern Africa. It is a rear-fanged colubrid, which is non-venomous to humans.
The African Tiger Snake has pale orange or salmon pink scales with 24-48 black or dark brown bars on its back and tail. Its underbelly is pale yellow or orange. It has a narrow body, long tail, and a distinct head with large orange eyes that have vertical pupils.
African Tiger Snake
It can grow to 60–90 centimetres (2–3 feet) long.
The African Tiger Snake is found in dry and humid sub-tropical and tropical habitats, from rocky desert, scrub and savannah, to lowland forest.
It is mainly terrestrial (lives on the ground), but sometimes it is arboreal (lives in the trees). It is a nocturnal snake (active at night).
The African Tiger Snake eats chameleons, other lizards, rats and mice, bats, and baby birds. It has rear fangs that are grooved instead of hollow. Venomous snakes have hollow fangs, but non-venomous snakes have grooved fangs. It grabs its prey, and injects it with venom that paralyzes the prey.
The African Tiger Snake is oviparous, which means that it lays eggs. Females lay 6-36 eggs in damp leaf litter.
African Tiger Snake
African Tiger Snake
African Tiger Snake
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM