Eastern Natal Green Snake

While we were spending a full day at Kumasinga Hide in uMkhuze Game Reserve on the 21st of March, this lovely Eastern Natal Green Snake caused quite a stir among the human visitors to the hide. I should add that the fear was entirely needless, as this species is absolutely harmless to humans, although it will bite in self-defense if you try to pick it up. It was clear that this snake was very used to having people around his home as it wasn’t nearly as frazzled as the humans were…

Eastern Natal Green Snake at Kumasinga Hide, 21 March 2022

Later in the day the snake returned to make another appearance. Owing to its relaxed disposition it was easy for us to get another few photographs before it moved off.

Eastern Natal Green Snake at Kumasinga Hide, 21 March 2022

Philothamnus natalensis

The Natal Green Snake occurs only in southern Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa (from the Garden Route, along the coast through the Eastern Cape into Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Gauteng) with two subspecies – Eastern and Western – being recognized. It inhabits forests and woodland habitats, often near houses, where they feed mainly on frogs, small reptiles, chicks and large insects. This is an alert, active and agile snake that is entirely lacking in venom and thus harmless to humans. They breed in early summer, with females laying small clutches of 3-8 eggs (occasionally as many as 14). Adults grow to a length of about a meter.

The IUCN considers the species to be of least concern.

While visiting Umlalazi Nature Reserve in December 2018, Marilize was first to notice this Eastern Natal Green Snake one afternoon while enjoying the early evening hours on the patio of our accommodation unit. It was remarkably relaxed and unperturbed by our presence, and allowed us a few photographs before sneaking off while we weren’t watching.