The Highly Venomous Boomslang Snake Keeps to the Trees

Talon Homer
·5 min read

Native to Sub-Saharan Africa, the boomslang snake is known for its remarkable agility, bright green coloration and potent venom. Despite being one of the few snakes capable of delivering a fatal bite to humans, this tree snake is timid and generally avoids confrontation.

In the wild, boomslangs are highly skilled hunters, using their slender bodies and large, blunt heads to navigate the trees of central and southern Africa. Their venom, while deadly, is rarely used against humans, as bites generally occur only when the snake feels threatened or is accidentally handled.

Physical Characteristics

The boomslang (Dispholidus typus) is a slender snake with a large, blunt head and large eyes that provide excellent vision.

Adult boomslangs can reach lengths of up to 6 feet, with males often displaying a bright green coloration, while females are typically brown or olive. Juvenile boomslangs have a more muted, greenish-gray color that gradually brightens as they mature.

The snake's smooth, glossy scales give it a sleek appearance, making it well-suited for life in the trees. Boomslangs also have well-developed venom glands, which produce a hemotoxic venom capable of causing severe internal bleeding in their prey — or, in rare cases, humans.

Tree Snake Subspecies

Boomslangs are part of the larger family of Colubridae, which includes many nonvenomous snakes, but they are unique in that they possess deadly venom.

Although there are no officially recognized subspecies of the boomslang, there are slight variations in coloration and size depending on the region.

In southern Africa, particularly in the Western Cape, the bright green males are more commonly observed, while in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, boomslangs may be found in shades of brown, olive or even black.

These variations help the snake blend into its specific environment, whether it’s the leafy treetops or the drier bushlands.

Social Habits

Boomslangs are solitary and highly arboreal, spending most of their time in trees. They are shy and reclusive, preferring to avoid humans and other large animals.

When threatened, a boomslang will inflate its neck, displaying its bright coloration and opening its mouth wide to warn off predators. Despite this defensive display, the boomslang is a timid snake and will usually retreat if given the chance.

Bites generally occur only when the snake is accidentally handled or cornered, making these incidents rare. The boomslang's preference for a quiet, secluded life in the trees is a key factor in its low interaction with humans.

Boomslang Venom and Diet

Boomslangs are carnivorous and primarily feed on small vertebrates, including birds, frogs, lizards and other snakes. They are adept hunters, using their excellent vision and stealth to approach their prey undetected. Once within striking distance, the boomslang delivers a precise bite, injecting its potent venom.

However, the snakes small size and environment also make them vulnerable to attacks from large birds of prey.

The boomslang venom is hemotoxic, meaning it disrupts blood clotting and can cause severe internal bleeding. This deadly venom quickly incapacitates the prey, allowing the snake to swallow it whole.

The boomslang's diet is varied, and its ability to hunt both in the trees and on the ground makes it a versatile predator.

Environment

The boomslang is native to sub-Saharan Africa, with a range that extends across central and southern regions, including the Western Cape of South Africa. It is most commonly found in savannas, forests and bushlands, where it has plenty of trees to climb and hide in. Boomslangs are particularly well-adapted to life in the trees, with their slender bodies and strong muscles allowing them to move easily through the branches.

In these environments, they are often found basking in the sun or hunting for prey. The snake's bright green or olive coloration provides excellent camouflage among the leaves, helping it avoid detection by both predators and prey.

Life Cycle

The life cycle of a boomslang begins with mating in the trees during the warmer months. After mating, the female lays a clutch of eggs, typically in a hidden location such as a hollow tree or under dense foliage. The brood of 10 to 14 eggs hatch after about two to three months, and the young snakes are independent from birth.

Juvenile boomslangs are born with the ability to deliver a venomous bite, although their venom is less potent than that of adults. As they grow, their coloration brightens, and they gradually develop the full potency of their venom.

Boomslangs can live for many years in the wild, with their longevity depending on factors such as predation and availability of food.

Conservation Status in Southern Africa

The boomslang is not currently listed as endangered, but it faces threats from habitat destruction. As human populations expand into rural areas, the boomslang’s natural habitat is increasingly fragmented by deforestation, making it more difficult for these snakes to find food and suitable nesting sites.

Additionally, due to their venomous nature, boomslangs are sometimes killed on sight by people who fear their deadly bite.

However, incidents involving boomslangs are rare, and conservation efforts by organizations such as the South African Vaccine Producers and the South African Medical Journal focus on educating the public about the importance of these snakes in developing and producing hemotoxic antivenom.

This article was created in conjunction with AI technology, then edited and fact-checked by a HowStuffWorks editor.

Now That's Interesting

The name boomslang literally translates to "tree snake" in Dutch, with Dutch settlers in South Africa bestowing this title upon the snake in the mid-19th century.

Original article: The Highly Venomous Boomslang Snake Keeps to the Trees

Copyright © 2024 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company

Latest Stories

  • Deer in distress in Kenora, Ont., sparks calls from resident for more wildlife support

    Every day, Deena Foy's dog receives a visit in the yard from one particular deer.The animals sit and stare at each other until the doe moves on to its usual grazing spots around Kenora, Ont., and then comes back in the morning."It's a regular thing," Foy told CBC News.But on Monday, Foy noticed something wrong with her dog's wild friend: it had something wrapped around its head and neck.It appeared to be a tomato cage or some other type of garden planter."She looked so miserable sitting there wi

  • What Is the Dumbest Animal? These 14 Defy Evolution

    What is the dumbest animal on Earth? Spoiler: It's not your uncle who tried to deep-fry a turkey in his bathtub.

  • A Secret Weapon Against Carbon Has Met Scientist’s Wildest Expectations

    Scientists made a secret carbon capture weapon to battle climate change

  • Wholphin: A Rare Hybrid Animal That Can Reproduce

    The wholphin (sometimes spelled wolphin) is the result of crossbreeding between a male false killer whale and a female bottlenose dolphin. The label "wholphin" combines the names of both parent species.

  • Scientists discover the world’s largest coral — so big it can be seen from space

    It’s more than 100 feet long, around 300 years old, made of nearly 1 billion little polyps and visible from space

  • National Hurricane Center tells Floridians to monitor soon-to-be Tropical Storm Sara

    Forecasters tell residents of eastern Gulf Coast and Florida to monitor the forecast closely for potential impacts next week.

  • Lowland gorilla dies at Calgary Zoo

    Officials at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo are mourning the loss of a two-year-old female lowland gorilla. Zoo officials say Eyare died after being injured when moving between back-of-house spaces and an investigation is underway. (Nov. 13, 2024)

  • B.C. highway passes hit with copious snowfall as storm parade continues

    Heavy snow for B.C.'s mountain passes continues on Thursday, with some areas in line to see 20-30+ cm of accumulation by Friday morning.

  • Canadian Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Now

    Renewable companies in Canada are currently struggling through a challenging phase, but quite a few of them are still worth considering for their long-term prospects. The post Canadian Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Now appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

  • Four storms churning the West Pacific at the same time mean more bad news for the Philippines

    Four separate storm systems are churning their way through the West Pacific simultaneously, a rare occurrence resulting from warmer oceans that threatens to bring more misery to the storm-weary Philippines.

  • Florida focusing on another potential hurricane

    A november hurricane is likely in the next week with Mexico, Cuba and Florida all paying attention

  • Málaga evacuates thousands as Spain issues more flood alerts

    Spain's Civil Protection Agency sent a mass alert to phones warning of an "extreme risk of rainfall".

  • Lights under surfboards could deter shark attacks - study

    Fixing LED lights under surfboards could stop great white sharks from attacking, Australian scientists find.

  • Rain, snowfall warnings issued as fall storm blows through B.C.

    Rainfall warnings and heavy streamflow advisories are in effect across much of the South Coast. As Jon Hernandez reports, up to 90 millimetres of rain are expected in parts of Metro Vancouver.

  • Vancouver Island hour-by-hour forecast

    Checking the peak winds forecast across Vancouver Island. Get the details with meteorologist Tyler Hamilton

  • New glowing species discovered in deep sea

    Scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute have discovered a new species of sea slug living in the midnight zone of the ocean – a part untouched by sunlight about 1,000 to 4,000 meters below the surface.

  • Paignton Zoo Is Pretty In Pink After Rearing Rare Pigeon

    Paignton Zoo Is Pretty In Pink After Rearing Rare Pigeon. Pinkness is the order of the day at Paignton Zoo after keepers successfully hand-rearing a rare pink pigeon squab for the first time. Once on the brink of extinction, their numbers in the wild were estimated to have dropped to as few as nine in 1991. However, thanks to conservation efforts by experts like Paignton Zoo's keeper Tom Tooley and his colleagues, the species has seen a gradual recovery. Tom, who has worked as a bird keeper at the zoo for over 27 years, pioneered a new method for hand-rearing young pigeons, or squabs, that have been abandoned by their parents. Explaining his approach, Tom said, “I developed a method which involves attaching a carefully sized catheter to a syringe, gently placed on the squab's tongue”. “This allows the squabs to consume the hand-rearing formula naturally.” Tom's even been to Mauritius to teach local conservationists his revolutionary method for rearing the rare bird - as efforts step up to bring it back from the brink.

  • What do you do when a goose dies in your backyard, amid concerns about avian flu?

    Carolyn Law didn't think much of it when a snow goose landed in her Richmond, B.C., backyard, on Halloween.

  • The Most Dangerous Bear and 9 Others to Give a Wide Berth

    Bears are incredible creatures, but they can also be some of the most dangerous animals on the planet. While even the most dangerous bear will typically avoid humans, under the right (or wrong!) circumstances, it can become aggressive, especially if it feels threatened or if you're in its territory.

  • The world's largest known coral found near Solomon Islands

    The world's largest known coral, visible from space, has been discovered in the waters of the Solomon Islands. Scientists said the discovery of the gigantic organism offered a glimmer of hope at a time when hotter and more acidic oceans have drained the life from corals throughout the region. Scientists say they have found the world's largest coral near the Pacific's Solomon Islands, announcing Thursday a major discovery "pulsing with life and colour".The coral is so immense that researchers sai