You might have seen some pretty unusual snakes in the zoo or maybe on the TV, but these ten you are about to see are the rarest of them all. Some are so endangered you could end up in prison just by killing one! They might not be the most unusual snakes to look at and definitely not the most venomous, but they are all the rarest snakes from around the world…
St. Lucia Racer (Erythrolamprus ornatus)
St. Lucia Racer (Erythrolamprus ornatus)
They might be small and non-venomous, but they are officially the worlds rarest species of snake. Less than 20 of these are still alive in the world, but there are real efforts to keep the numbers from dwindling out entirely.
Cropan’s boa (Corallus cropanii)
Cropan’s boa (Corallus cropanii)
It wasn’t until 2010 that this snake was seen in the wild again and was presumed to be extinct. Sadly it looks much like many other dangerous and poisonous snakes in the same area and is often killed by mistake.
Albany adder (Bitis albanica)
Albany adder (Bitis albanica)
This is apparently the rarest snake in the whole of Africa and given the vast number of species located there that really is a high title. It is a small but venomous snake that is once again often mistaken for others that are far more dangerous.
Hoop Snake (Vermicella Annulata)
Hoop Snake (Vermicella Annulata)
This is one of the newest species of snake from around the world and it goes to show how low their numbers are. Oddly the team who discovered it was on a research expedition of sea snakes when they found it wandering into the dock they were moored at. Talk about a lucky find!
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Ocellate Mountain Viper (Vipera Wagneri)
Ocellate Mountain Viper (Vipera Wagneri)
At just 7 inches fully grown it might look more like a worm than a snake, but this is why it is so hard to count its species numbers. It has a pattern of orangish-brown spots making it pretty easy to identify, just very hard to find in the first place.
Smooth Snake (Coronella Austriaca)
Smooth Snake (Coronella Austriaca)
This is the UK’s rarest snake and was placed on the protected species list back in 1981. Due to its low life span and small size, it is often the food for hungry birds and many other retile eating animals. While it might look like a normal adder is has a much more slender body hence its name.
Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus Horridus)
Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus Horridus)
While most snakes in the New Hampshire state are pretty widespread and safe timber rattlesnakes are extremely rare and are now state protected. Sadly this is mostly down to over farming and its numbers are not thought to survive into the next century.
The Silver Boa (Chilabothrus Argentum)
The Silver Boa (Chilabothrus Argentum)
When a new species is found in the wilds of the Bahamas it can only mean one thing, they are very rare indeed. It was discovered by a researcher who was asleep on the beach after a party the night before and it slithered into his head waking him up!
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Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus Catenatus)
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus Catenatus)
This is Michigan’s only venomous snake and rattlesnake and is heavily protected by the state Department of Natural Resources. Fully grown it is 60 to 75 cm (24 to 30 in) in length and its colour pattern consists of a grey or tan ground colours with a row of large rounded brown/black blotches or spots down the centre of the back and three smaller rows of alternating spots down each side.
Cropan’s Tree Boa (Corallus Cropanii)
Cropan’s Tree Boa (Corallus Cropanii)
In 2017 wildlife biologist Bruno Rocha got a phone call asking if he would come and look at an odd snake found in a small village of Guapiruvu, southwest of São Paulo, Brazil. It turned out to be a Copan’s Tree Boa and it had not been seen anywhere in Brazil for the last 70 years! The good news is the species is now part of a conservation plan in the area.
Sources Used…
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/st-lucia-racer-rarest-snake_n_1663380?guccounter=1
- https://www.earthtouchnews.com/discoveries/discoveries/rare-snake-seen-alive-for-the-first-time-in-over-six-decades/
- https://www.earthtouchnews.com/conservation/endangered/this-tiny-venomous-snake-is-south-africas-most-endangered-reptile/
- https://www.buzzfeed.com/elfyscott/a-new-species-of-venomous-snake-has-been-discovered-in
- https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/viper-collectors-nearly-wiped-out-this-rare-turkish-snake-saint-louis-zoo-helps-to-save-it/?redirect=1
- https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/reptiles/smooth-snake
- https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/nongame/snakes.html
- https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/new-silver-snake-species-a-rare-exciting-find
- https://www.geek.com/news/rare-venomous-snake-hitches-a-ride-on-kayak-paddle-in-michigan-1789423/
- https://www.the-scientist.com/notebook/a-snake-species-not-seen-alive-for-64-years-appears-in-brazil-31430