Sundevall's Garter Snake
Elapsoidea sundevallii
A small, secretive African garter snake with a banded pattern, related to cobras, with a reclusive, burrowing lifestyle.
- Adult length
- 0.4-0.7 m (16-28 in)
- Range
- Southern Africa
Found a snake like this?
Identify any snake from a photo, free.
Overview
Sundevall's garter snake (Elapsoidea sundevallii) belongs to a group of small African elapids known as garter snakes (unrelated to the North American genus Thamnophis of the same common name). It is a fossorial species found across parts of southern Africa.
How to identify it
A small, smooth-scaled snake with a banded pattern.
- Body marked with alternating dark and light crossbands or rings along its length
- Small, rounded head not distinct from the neck
- Smooth, glossy scales and a cylindrical body suited to burrowing
- Round pupils
- Adults typically 0.4-0.7 m
Habitat & range
Inhabits savanna, grassland, and woodland across southern Africa, often in sandy or loose soils that facilitate burrowing. It shelters under rocks, logs, and leaf litter, and in loose substrate.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Primarily nocturnal and fossorial, spending much of its time underground or under surface cover, emerging to forage for other reptiles, including skinks and small snakes, as well as amphibians. It relies on concealment. Reproduction is oviparous.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Sundevall's garter snake live?
It is found in savanna and grassland habitats across southern Africa.
Is Sundevall's garter snake related to North American garter snakes?
No, despite the shared common name, it is an African elapid unrelated to the North American Thamnophis garter snakes.
What does Sundevall's garter snake eat?
It preys mainly on small reptiles and amphibians.
Sundevall's Garter Snake guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Sundevall's Garter Snake.
