How to Identify Battersby's Green Snake (Identification Guide)

Key identifying features

Battersby's green snake (Philothamnus battersbyi) is a slender, harmless African snake belonging to the bush snake group, found in parts of central and East Africa. It is identified by its bright green coloration, slim body, and the large, round eyes characteristic of active, visually-hunting colubrid snakes.

Coloration & pattern

The body is a fairly uniform bright to olive-green, sometimes with a bluish or yellowish tinge, and the belly is typically a paler green, cream, or yellowish shade. Unlike boldly patterned snakes, Battersby's green snake generally lacks strong markings, relying instead on its green coloration for camouflage among foliage.

Head, eyes & scales

The head is small, narrow, and not distinct from the neck, lacking the triangular shape of vipers. The eyes are large with round pupils, an adaptation for daytime activity and visual hunting. Scales are smooth and glossy, giving the snake a sleek, polished appearance typical of Philothamnus species.

Size & body shape

This is a slender snake, with adults typically reaching around 20 to 30 inches in length, maintaining a thin body diameter throughout. The tail is moderately long, assisting with balance and movement through branches and dense vegetation.

Range & habitat where you'll see it

Battersby's green snake is found in parts of central and East Africa, inhabiting forest edges, woodland, and shrubby or bushy vegetation, often at moderate elevations. It is arboreal and diurnal, typically encountered moving actively through vegetation during the day in search of prey such as frogs and small lizards.

How to tell it apart from look-alikes

Battersby's green snake closely resembles other Philothamnus bush snakes, and reliable identification between species in this group often depends on precise scale counts and geographic range rather than coloration alone, since many share a similar green body and large eyes. It differs from venomous green snakes such as mambas by its much slimmer build, smaller head, and lack of an elongated, robust body shape. Careful attention to locality is especially useful given the overlapping ranges of related Philothamnus species.