How to Identify the Natal Green Snake (Identification Guide)

Key identifying features

The Natal Green Snake (Philothamnus natalensis) is a small to medium, harmless, non-venomous colubrid found in southern and eastern Africa. It is identified by its bright green coloration, slender build, and smooth, glossy scales, features shared with other members of the bush snake genus, along with large eyes suited for daytime foraging in vegetation.

Coloration & pattern

This species is typically a vivid grass-green to bluish-green along the back, sometimes with a slightly yellowish tinge on the flanks. It generally lacks bold patterning, appearing mostly uniform in color, though faint darker edging on individual scales can sometimes be visible up close. The belly is usually a paler yellow-green to whitish-green, contrasting subtly with the dorsal color.

Head, eyes & scales

The head is narrow and only slightly distinct from the neck, with a rounded snout. Eyes are large and rounded with round pupils, giving good daytime vision, consistent with this species' diurnal, actively foraging habits. Dorsal scales are smooth and glossy, enhancing the snake's ability to move quietly and quickly through grass and shrubs.

Size & body shape

The Natal Green Snake is a slender, lightweight species, typically reaching 40 to 70 centimeters in total length, occasionally slightly longer. The body is long and thin relative to its length, with a whip-like tail that aids balance while moving through dense vegetation.

Range & habitat where you'll see it

This species is found in coastal and inland regions of southern and eastern Africa, particularly around KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and neighboring areas. It favors grassland, bushveld, gardens, and forest edges, often found low in shrubs, hedges, or tall grass, and is active during the day when hunting for frogs, lizards, and insects.

How to tell it apart from look-alikes

Its bright, largely uniform green coloring and smooth scales help distinguish it from patterned green snakes, but it can be confused with the venomous boomslang or with green mambas at a glance. However, the Natal Green Snake is considerably smaller and more slender, with a narrower head and smaller eyes than the boomslang, and lacks the elongated, coffin-shaped head of the green mamba, making close attention to head shape and size the most reliable distinguishing factor.