Known for its brilliant green scales dotted with black markings, it’s a slender, agile species often seen gliding through trees and shrubs in search of lizards or basking in dappled sunlight. Found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, this harmless snake is a frequent visitor to gardens and forests alike, where its speed, color, and grace make it a captivating sight for those lucky enough to spot it.
Physically, the spotted bush snake is slim and elongated. Its bright emerald-green upper body is covered with irregular black or dark green spots, especially near the tail, which help it blend perfectly among leaves and branches. The underside is pale yellow or light green, giving it a luminous quality under sunlight. Its large eyes—with round pupils—give it excellent vision for hunting, while its smooth, glossy scales reflect light, making it appear almost metallic at times. When startled, it may flatten its body slightly to look larger, but it rarely bites and poses no danger to humans.
The spotted bush snake is a diurnal species, meaning it is active during the day, when it can often be found slithering gracefully through vegetation, walls, or even rooftops in search of prey. Its diet mainly consists of small lizards, especially geckos, which it catches using quick, precise strikes. Occasionally, it may consume frogs or tiny rodents. This snake is a skilled arboreal hunter, perfectly adapted for climbing trees and navigating narrow branches. It uses its tail for balance and its body muscles to grip surfaces as it moves. Despite being an expert climber, it’s also at home on the ground and can move swiftly through grass or across open areas when needed.
Distribution
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Central Af. Rep.
Chad
Congo-Brazzaville
Côte D’ivoire
DR Congo (Kinshasa)
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Kenya
Malawi
Mali
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Senegal
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Zambia
ZimbabweAnything 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
