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Saw this specimen on the H1-1 near Pretoriuskop on Friday 15 May 2009.



I am almost 100% sure of my identification, but perhaps somebody can proof me wrong.

According to my field guide this is the largest blind snake in the world, and the very large specimens are rarely seen - they live deep underground. Lucky me!!

Hi Andansonia

No expert either, but it seems like a Schlegel’s Blind Snake – Typhlops schlegelii

Have a look here:

http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n71/ ... pr08am.flv

Primitive snakes with no teeth in the lower jaw..Cylindrical body with smooth overlapping scales..Do not have large belly scales..The vertical eye is a small black spot under the head scales..short tail ends in a spine... spend most of their lives burrowing underground.. feed on ants and termites.

References...

Google books http://books.google.com/books?id=YS8E3a ... en#PPA8,M1

http://www.pbase.com/arnomeintjes/blind ... schlegelii

They spend most of their lives underground, but specimens are often seen on the surface just after hard rain when they are flushed from their burrows. Lots get killed on roads during the summer months! It is a bit strange seeing one out in the day though!

I have had a couple of sightings of this snake in the day …and not necessarily after rain. This photo was taken in Kruger, April 2006

Larger view

Nice Jumbo, still havent seen one of these guys yet

Nice , Jumbo!

We think we saw one in Satara camp between our fireplace and stoep... which snake was under attack by a 'shiny, silvery black snake'... Regrettably no id on the last mentioned...

These blind snakes seem to inhabit the Pretoriuskop area. See my posting Post subject: Re: snake sightingsPosted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:43 pm


We were fortunate enough to have our second sighting of a Blind Snake.
This time a Schlegel Blind Snake. Typhlops schlegelii
This time on the H1-1 quite close to the Willem Pretorius grave site. Date 17 June 2009.
Time 15:45.
Temperature 17 C.
Length approximately 35 cm.
Colour : Nearly black mottles on a lighter blueish/grayish dorsal part with a yellowish green ventral colouring..

I have just returned from the Kruger and spotted the attached. Can anyone please help with the identity of it?

To me it looks like a legless skink? But I don't know if Kruger has them.

Several similar pix have been posted recently in the snake ID thread. From those it would appear to be a Schlegel's Beaked Blind Snake.

Thanks Arks!