Boomslang

Afrikaans name: Boomslang

Boomslang

Photo © stuporter - Fotolia.com

Dispholidus typus

The Boomslang, translated from Afrikaans as Tree Snake, is found in a variety of colours. Males are typically light green and their scales have a blackish edge. Females are brown.

This snake has distinctively large eyes and its vision is good. Adults are 1 to 1.8 metres in length.

The Boomslang feeds on a variety of smaller animals which it finds in trees. These include birds and eggs, reptiles and small mammals.

They lay their eggs in hollows in trees and up to 30 eggs may be laid.

Although the Boomslang is not an aggressive snake it can deliver a fatal bite. Anti-venom is available.

References and further reading

Wildlife of the Cape Peninsula - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2001 - Page: 74

The Reptiles of the Kruger National Park - Author: U. de V. Pienaar, WD Haacke and NHG Jacobsen - Published: 1983 - Page: 197

Snakes of Africa - Author: R.M. Isemonger - Published: 1983 - Page: 42

Snakes of Africa - Author: R.M. Isemonger - Published: 1983 - Page: 156

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 220

Snakes & Snakebite in Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Johan Marais - Published: 2014 - Page: 73

Sasol First Field Guide to Snakes & other Reptiles of Southern Africa - 2nd edit - Author: Tracey Hawthorne - Published: 2016 - Page: 30

Reptiles & Amphibians of Southern Africa - Author: Warren Schmidt - Published: 2006 - Page: 32

Reptiles of Southern Africa - Author: Rod Patterson and Anothony Bannister - Published: 1987 - Page: 83

Kruger National Park Questions and Answers - Author: P.F. Fourie - Published: 1987 - Page: 342

Kruger National Park Map - 2010 - Author: Joy Frandsen - Published: 2010 - Page: 10

Field Guide to the West Coast - Author: H. Marshall and B. Mommsen - Published: 1994 - Page: 82

Game Ranger in your Backpack - Author: Megan Emmett and Sean Pattrick - Published: 2013 - Page: 204

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 406

Field Guide to the Cradle of Humankind - Author: B. Hilton-Barber & Prof. L. R. Berger - Published: 2004 - Page: 175

Field Guide to Fynbos Fauna - Author: Cliff & Suretha Dorse - Published: 2023 - Page: 116

A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa - Author: Graham Alexander and Johan Marais - Published: 2007 - Page: 138

Animals of the Kruger National Park - Author: G. de Graaff - Published: 1987 - Page: 118

Bill Branchs Field Guide to the Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa - Author: Bill Branch - Published: 1988 - Page: 87

A Field Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa - Author: V.F.M. Fitzsimmons - Published: 1970 - Page: 122

A Field Guide to the Eastern Cape Coast - Author: R. Lubke, F. Gess & M. Bruton - Published: 1988 - Page: 259

The Reptile Database

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