Snakes

Namibian tiger snake (Telescopus polystitus)

These slender snakes are nocturnal, so their eyes are huge. Their venom is harmless to people.

Namib (Western) sand snake (Psammophis trigrammus)

These harmless snakes eat rodents and lizards.

Western keeled snake (Pythonodipsas carinata)

This nocturnal snake looks a lot like a horned adder, but it is nonpoisonous.

Puff adder (Bitis arietans)

Puff adders are thick, sluggish, common, and extremely poisonous. They move by rippling, like a caterpillar, in a straight line.

Horned adder (Bitis caudalis)

Horned adders are short and thick, and usually have a small horn above each eye. Their colors vary. They are common. They are poisonous but their venom is mild.

Sidewinder (Peringuey's Adder) (Bitis peringueyi)

This very small adder sidewinds to move quickly on sand dunes. Their venom is mild. They prefer to live in fine, wind-blown sand, and are endangered.

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Last modified 4 November 2019