Kenyan Sand Boa
Gongylophis colubrinus
- Habitat: Semi-arid environments to scrub savannah
- Range: Egypt, Niger, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, and northern Tanzania
- Natural Diet: Small mammals
- Status in the Wild: Not evaluated
Fun Facts
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Kenyan sand boas can get as long as 3 feet.
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They are short, heavy-bodied snakes with a blunt head and a small tail.
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Their body coloring varies from yellow to orange with dull blotches. They are known to have several morphs.
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They spend a considerable proportion of their time buried in the sand or under rocks to cool themselves on hot days, and to hide from predators.
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They are ambush predators. They hide under the sand and lie in wait for their prey then pounce and pull their prey under the sand to suffocate them.
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Females give birth to live young of 10 to 20 per nest.
Conservation Threats
- The major threats are habitat loss mostly by human encroachment.
- Kenyan sand boas are also caught for pet trade
