Conserving Our Present
Saving Our Future
Snake Identification Slides/Cards
Below are links to snake identification slides/cards for many of the common snakes in Kenya and parts of Tanzania and Uganda. The slides show the common and scientific name of the snake, its main features or characteristics used for identification, an example photo, and its potential for harm to humans. I must stress that there is variability in every snake population, so the photo that is shown is a typical example, and you must recognize that there can be different color variations. If you can take a photo of a snake, and have access to Facebook, I strongly recommend becoming a member of the East African Snakes, Other Reptiles, and Amphibians group as the experts there can help you with identification. For additional information about some of these snakes, you can also access the Kenyan Reptile Atlas at https://www.kenyareptileatlas.com.
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Family Elapidae
Jameson's mamba (Dendroaspis jamesoni)
Egyptian Cobra (front and back) (Naja haje)
Brown Forest Cobra (front and back) (Naja subfulva)
Black-necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis)
Ashe's spitting cobra (Naja ashei)
Red spitting cobra (Naja pallida)
East African garter snake (Elapsoidea loveridgei)
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Non-venomous or mildly venomous snakes
Central and Southern African Rock Pythons
Green snakes (Philothamnus sp.)
White lip vs brown house snake
Rufous vs red-spotted beaked snake
Northern stripe-bellied sand snake
Merker's worm snake
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Family Viperidae
Northeast African carpet viper (Echis pyramidum)
Rhombic night adder (Causus rhombeatus)
Snouted night adder (Causus defilippi)
Velvety green night adder (Causus resimus)
Forest night adder (Causus lichetensteinii)
Green and rough-scaled bush vipers
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Family Colubridae (venomous species)
Twig/vine snake (Thelotornis mossambicus)
Blanding's tree snake (Toxicodryas vexator)
Blanding's tree snake
Powdered tree snake (Toxicodryas pulverulenta)
Link-marked sand snake (Psammophis biseriatus)
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Family Atractaspidae
Bibron's burrowing asp (Atractaspis bibroni)
Variable burrowing asp (Atractaspis irregularis)
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Look Alikes
Rhombic night adder vs rhombic egg eater
Battersby's green snake vs Eastern green mamba
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