Found in eastern and southern Africa, including countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa, this snake spends nearly all of its life underground, leading a quiet, hidden existence beneath the surface. Though rarely seen, it plays an important role in its ecosystem, particularly in controlling insect populations.

As its name suggests, this species has a “beaked” snout—a slightly pointed, hardened tip that helps it burrow through soil and leaf litter with ease. Like other blind snakes, Schlegel’s beaked blind snake has reduced eyes, which are covered by scales and appear as tiny dark spots beneath the skin. It is virtually blind, but that’s no handicap in the dark world beneath the ground. Instead, it relies on its keen sense of smell and sensitivity to vibrations to navigate and locate food.

This snake has a smooth, shiny, and cylindrical, often pinkish, purplish, or brownish in color body, with no obvious patterning—giving it a worm-like appearance. The smooth, glossy scales and rounded shape help it slip easily through soil and tight crevices.

Schlegel’s beaked blind snake is a specialist predator, feeding almost exclusively on ants and termites, especially their soft-bodied larvae and pupae. It will enter nests and burrows, using its narrow body to probe tunnels and its small jaws to rapidly gulp down dozens of tiny prey. It has a unique jaw mechanism that allows it to feed without needing to dislocate its jaws like larger snakes.

Though harmless to humans, it’s often mistaken for a baby snake or a worm and sometimes killed unnecessarily out of fear or confusion. In truth, Schlegel’s beaked blind snake is completely non-venomous, non-aggressive, and poses no threat. If disturbed, it may wriggle vigorously or release a musky odor, but its main defense is simply to disappear underground as quickly as possible.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Angola

2019

Botswana

2019

Eswatini

2019

Mozambique

2019

Namibia

2019

South Africa

2019