ID of Kenyan Snake and Lizard (1 Viewer)

Hi All,

Could anybody please ID the Snake and Lizard in the attached images. Both pictures were taken on a recent holiday on the Masai Mara. The masai chap who pointed out the snake to me said it was a Green Mamba - but then confused me by insisting it was "harmless" - certainly not my understanding of a Green Mambas capabilities! Sorry the picture is not quite sharp - but handholding the 300mm +1.4x extender at 1/30th was a trifle ambitious - even with IS!

Any help appreciated

Dennis Alden

Hi Dennis, I am quite sure that this is not a green mamba, head shape and scaling on the head are quite different. For comparing with green mamba, have a look at this pic:

http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/mypics/39477/display/934956

I think on your other photo you have a skink, but I don´t know which Species of this Family (Scincidae) that is.

Hope that helps,
Joern

Dispholidus typus - the snake. The second is surely a Scincidae but haven't the foggiest which one.

Hi Dennis,

The snake is an African green snake, Philothamnus .sp, and is totally harmless. There are a large number of species, even within the Mara, I would go for Philothamnus irregularis but could be one of a couple. The skink looks to be a member of the genus Mabuya but beyond that I'm not sure. Will try and dig out a Kenyan skink guide later and see if that helps.

Regards, Lee.

Thanks for the replies Joern and Steve. I thought the "lizard" was probably a skink - but wasn't quite sure.

As for the snake - a Boomslang is just as scary as a mamba to me!!!!! can't believe I was daft enough to get so close (within 1 metre at one point) to a poisonous snake. I (rather stupidly I guess) just assumed that the masai guy was using "Green Mamba" as a generic term for any green snake! - Wish I had had a tripod with me now - the pic would have been better. If anybody ever visits Keekerok Lodge on the Masai Mara the snake regularly hangs out in the bush by the entrance to the boardwalk in the bottom right corner of the Lodge grounds!!! (or so I was reliably informed).

Looks like you were posting your reply as I was writing mine Lee! So I wasn't in danger after all (don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed now - no more ".....and there I was just inches from certain death - pass me another beer..." stories). The wife will be happier though |=)|

Thanks all of you for your help

Down at the pub an 8ft green mamba that just killed a buffalo and fancied you for dessert it quite acceptible ;-)

Hi Dennis

Yes, i'm quite sure that the snake is not a Green mamba. The head shape is not nearly long enough. The photo has foreshortened the head and I initially thought that
it was a Boomslang but I'd now go towards the Philothamnus snakes.

As for the lizard, it certainly looks like a Mabuya skink. using Bill Branch's southern
African reptile book it looks very much like Mabuya striata the Striped Skink, which is
recorded from East Africa, but there may be others.

Peter

thanks for the reply Pete. I had come to the same conclusion about the Skink - looked at a few pictures on the net and they look very similar. The thing that initially threw me was the "stumpy" tail of the one I saw - but I guess something had a bite of it and its in the process of regrowing?

As for the snake - I looked at countless photographs of Mambas/Boomslangs before posting here - and depending on the lighting and angle of the photograph my opinion shifted from "definitly was" to "definitly wasn't" with each picture!!!!! I am now fully convinced that it was indeed not - and my gut instinct that the masai chap was using "Green Mamba" as a generic term for any green snake was correct. He was so relaxed about it and I'm sure he wouldn't knowingly have taken a "punter" so close to a potentially dangerous snake.

Coincidentally I did see a Cobra about an hour later whilst birdwatching in the Lodge grounds. Presumably my footfalls disturbed it and it appeared from the bushes - moved away from me an an amazingly fast speed - and then disappeared into the bushes again. I was so suprised and it happened so fast that I didn't have time to get a picture! I then proceeded rapidly in the opposite direction!

Thanks again for your replies

Dennis

The snake is no green mamba because the shape of the head definately looks like a male boomslang(Dispholidus typus.) Males are green and the head shape definately looks like one. They're one of the few rear fanged colubrids which are dangerous to humans. The skink I think also looks like a striped Mabuya. Yeah the tail is definately one that's regrown

Hi there,

Quick question, Dennis, approximately how long was the snake? It could either be a male Boomslang or any of a variety of non-venomous snakes.

If it was about a meter I would safely say it was a Boomslang. They are venomous and have Haemotoxic venom. Not many people are bitten by these snakes as they would rather move away. A bite can be quite nasty and could be fatal. They are back fanged.

They prey on small birds and love chameleons.

You were 100% correct in not believing it was a Green Mamba. Even though they look similar, they have the typical coffin shaped head, and have small green eyes. The best way to identify a Boomslang is by the eye. The females are brown in colour and juveniles are brown with a white belly. Actually quite pretty.