09/09/2026
Warmer weather always brings out the green snakes.
GREEN SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA
As taken from my field guide A Field Guide To The Snakes & Other Reptiles Of KwaZulu-natal., I produced this chart a few years and many others have followed and created copies of it.
Eastern Green Mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps)
VENOMOUS
A brilliantly coloured lime green robust snake, with a distinct coffin-shaped head, a yellow eye and a lime green belly. Typically found within close proximity to the coast, although it may go as far as 20km inland in Zululand. Page 210
Common Boomslang (Dispholidus typus viridis)
VENOMOUS
A typically vibrant bright green or green with black-edged scales (usually in males only females tend to be brown or grey). Large distinct eyes with a sharply pointed snout and rounded head. Page 238
Spotted Bush Snake (Philothamnus semivariegatus)
HARMLESS
A slender snake with a bright orange iris, which differentiates it from other green snakes. The body has black spots/bars on the first two-thirds and the remaining third is uniformly green. Page 246
South Eastern Green Snake (Philothamnus hoplogaster) HARMLESS
A small, slender, uniform green snake having a pastel green matte appearance, the belly is white and often will have a prominent yellow snout. Page 242
Eastern Natal Green Snake (Philothamnus natalensis)
HARMLESS
A robust vibrant green snake, with a yellow eye, with occasional black cross bars on the back of the neck which may form stripes/bands, adding to the confusion of the Spotted Bush Snake. Page 242
Western Natal Green Snake (Philothamnus occidentalis) HARMLESS
An impressively coloured snake which often has hints of turquoise around the head and tail. The key identifying factors of these snakes is the extremely dark iris of the snake, the entire eye is virtually pitch black. Page 244
Angolan Green Snake (Philothamnus angolensis)
HARMLESS
A bright green uncommon snake, with a large robust head, black skin often visible between the scales. The eye is bright yellow and the belly is typically pale green. Page 241
Many-Spotted Reed Snake (Amplorhinus multimaculatus) VENOMOUS
A stocky green snake which may have black flecks on the back, black skin between the scales and a greenish belly. The eye is orange-yellow similar to the South Eastern Green Snake. Page 195
