Beaked Blind Snake
Rhinotyphlops schlegelii
A robust African blind snake with a distinctive hardened, beak-like snout adapted for digging.
- Venomous?
- Harmless
- Adult length
- 30-70 cm (12-28 in)
- Range
- Southern and Eastern Africa
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Overview
The Beaked Blind Snake is a fossorial species found in southern and eastern Africa, distinguished by its hardened, protruding snout used to burrow through soil. Also known as Schlegel's beaked blind snake, it is among the larger and more frequently encountered blind snakes in the region.
It is harmless to humans and, like other blind snakes, plays an ecological role in controlling ant and termite populations within soil communities.
How to identify it
- Cylindrical, muscular body with a distinctly shovel-shaped, hardened snout
- Dark brown to black dorsum, often with a paler underside
- Smooth, shiny scales in regular rows
- Vestigial eyes visible as dark spots
- Adult length commonly 30-70 cm (12-28 in), among the largest blind snakes
Habitat & range
Found in sandy and loamy soils of savanna, grassland, and woodland habitats across southern and eastern Africa. Uses its hardened snout to burrow and is occasionally found under rocks, logs, or on roads after rain.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Nocturnal and fossorial, rarely active above ground except during or after rainfall. Feeds primarily on termites and ants, entering their nests to access brood. Reproduction is oviparous, with eggs laid in underground burrows or termite mounds.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Beaked Blind Snake venomous?
No, it is harmless to humans.
What is distinctive about its snout?
It has a hardened, shovel-like beak used for burrowing through soil.
Where is it found?
It occurs across southern and eastern Africa.
How big does it get?
Adults typically reach 30-70 cm (12-28 in).
Beaked Blind Snake guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Beaked Blind Snake.
