African vine snake

The African vine snake is a venomous, rear-fanged snake belonging to the family Colubridae. These snakes are characterized by their slender bodies, narrow heads, and pointed snouts. African vine snakes are found in sub-Saharan regions, with the greatest diversity in East Africa.1

These snakes typically inhabit rainforests (green species) or savannas and dry forests (gray or brown species). Their bodies are laterally compressed and elongated, with the tail making up over a third of their total length, which usually ranges from 0.75 to 1.5 meters (2.5 to 5 feet). They use camouflage, neck inflation, and venom to hunt prey like lizards, frogs, and birds. While all vine snakes are venomous, most are relatively harmless to humans, with only the genus Thelotornis having caused human fatalities.1