SNAKE expert, Nick Evans, will be writing a column on different snakes every fortnight in an attempt to allow readers to identify the different species of snakes in and around the Highway area. This week he has chosen the boomslang.
Boomslangs are a beautiful species of snake that do occur in parts of the Highway area and they can come in a few different colours, unlike most snakes. This can make them fairly tricky to identify.
Why do you see differently-coloured boomslangs? Boomslangs are one of the few snakes in the world that are visually sexually dimorphic, meaning that you can tell the difference between the sexes just by their appearance.
Who’s who? Simply, males are bright green and females are light brown. Juveniles, interestingly, look very different colour-wise. Their bodies are light brown, and they have interesting-coloured heads.
There are a few green snakes, how do I know if it’s a boomslang? We have three harmless green snakes in the Highway area, all of which are common. The most common green snake in the area, which is one of the three, is the harmless spotted bush snake.
The spotted bush snake is thin, grows to a metre at most, is pale yellow underneath and has black spots going half-way down the body. The other two harmless green snakes look physically and visually the same, bar the black spots. Male boomslangs only get their green colouration when they’re close to a metre long, at which time they’re already thicker than bush snakes, for example. As adults, not only are they more bulky, but they are much longer (around 1.5 metres), and they have black bars going the whole way down the body. Their heads are also different to the harmless snakes. They have large oval-shaped heads and large eyes. Yes, their eyesight is excellent.
What’s the easiest way to identify a juvenile? Those big green eyes of theirs. They also have a bit of yellow under their throat.
Should I be worried about a boomslang? No, for two reasons, they’re shy and they’re not a snake that’s frequently encountered. If you live in Westville and immediate surrounds, you’re unlikely to see a boomslang. They start becoming more common in the upper Highway area, but even in those areas, you’re unlikely to encounter one.
Boomslangs are shy snakes that are reluctant to bite unless handled. You’d be lucky to see one, they usually move through the trees unnoticed, except by the birds. However, don’t test it. Do not try to catch one, or harm it. Although shy and reluctant to bite, they still have the most toxic venom (haemotoxic) of any snake in this country and if they cannot escape, they do not tolerate being harassed.
Contact Nick Evans (KZN Amphibian and Reptile Conservation) for snake removals on 072 809 5806, for snake educational talks via e-mail -nickevanskzn@gmail.com – or visit www.kznamphibianreptileconservation.com.
