One of the most unusual serpents you could come across in southern Africa. Unlike the long, flashy snakes we often picture, this species is tiny, burrow-loving, and shaped more like an oversized earthworm than a typical snake. Its most distinctive feature is its pointed, beak-like snout, which it uses as a digging tool to push through soil, leaf litter, and loose sand.
What makes the Western beaked snake stand out is its secretive, underground lifestyle. It spends most of its time burrowing below the surface, rarely coming out except after heavy rains when the soil is soft and damp. Unlike most snakes that hunt frogs, rodents, or lizards, this little worm-like reptile specializes in eating ants and termites, particularly their larvae and pupae. It wriggles its way into nests and uses its small mouth to scoop up dozens of insects at a time. Its “beak” is perfectly shaped for prying into soil and pushing through narrow tunnels, making it a true subterranean specialist.
Behaviorally, the Western beaked snake is gentle and harmless to people. It has no functional venom system, and because of its tiny mouth, it couldn’t bite a human even if it tried. Instead, its whole life revolves around avoiding detection and quietly feasting underground. Birds and small mammals are its main predators, and its glossy scales make it slippery to hold, allowing it to wriggle away if caught. Its resemblance to an earthworm is also part of its survival strategy—it blends into the soil world, where few predators bother with worms.
Its communal feeding in termite mounds means it sometimes gathers in groups, making it one of the few snakes you might see eating alongside others. Locals sometimes mistake it for a baby snake of a more dangerous species, but in reality, it’s completely harmless and even beneficial, since it helps keep ant and termite populations in balance.
Distribution
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Central Af. Rep.
Chad
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea
Mali
Niger
Nigeria
Senegal
South Sudan
Sudan
Togo
UgandaAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
