Calabar Burrowing Python
Calabaria reinhardtii
A stout, secretive burrowing snake of West and Central Africa whose blunt tail mimics its head as a defensive strategy against predators.
- Venomous?
- Non-venomous
- Adult length
- 0.6-1 m (2-3.3 ft)
- Range
- West and Central Africa
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Overview
The Calabar burrowing python (sometimes classified as a boa) is a stout, fossorial species native to the forests of West and Central Africa. It is notable for its unusual body plan, with a tail that closely resembles its head, used to confuse predators when the snake curls up defensively.
It is entirely non-venomous and harmless to humans, subduing its small prey by constriction underground.
How to identify it
- Stout, cylindrical body with smooth, glossy scales
- Coloration typically reddish-brown to dark brown, often with irregular lighter blotches or speckling
- Blunt head and blunt tail of similar shape and size, making the two ends difficult to distinguish at a glance
- Small eyes adapted for a burrowing lifestyle
- Body proportions notably thick relative to length
- Adults typically 0.6-1 m in length
Habitat & range
Inhabits lowland tropical forests, forest edges, and cultivated land with loose, humus-rich soil across West and Central Africa, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, and the Congo Basin. Highly fossorial, spending most of its time underground or beneath leaf litter and decaying vegetation.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Nocturnal and fossorial, rarely seen above ground. Diet consists primarily of small mammals, particularly nestling rodents, which are located and constricted within their underground burrows.
When threatened, it curls into a tight ball, hiding its true head and presenting its similarly shaped tail to confuse predators. Unusually among booid snakes, it is an egg-laying (oviparous) species, with females depositing a small clutch of relatively large eggs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Calabar burrowing python venomous?
No, it is completely non-venomous and kills prey by constriction.
Why does the Calabar burrowing python's tail look like its head?
Its blunt tail closely mimics the shape of its head as a defensive adaptation to confuse predators when the snake curls up.
How big does the Calabar burrowing python get?
Adults typically reach 0.6-1 m (2-3.3 ft) in length.
Does the Calabar burrowing python lay eggs?
Yes, unusually for a boa relative it is egg-laying, typically depositing a small clutch of relatively large eggs.
Calabar Burrowing Python guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Calabar Burrowing Python.
