Blonde Hognose Snake

About the Blonde Hognose Snake

Leioheterodon modestus, also known as the blonde hognose snake or the Madagascan golden hognose, is a species of rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous) snake in the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae (previously considered a subfamily of Colubridae). Leioheterodon are the largest hognose snakes in the world, and L. modestus is endemic to Madagascar. Regarding conservation and population, it is considered a species of least concern.

These snakes are a semi-fossorial diurnal species that can be found in forests, on the edges of forests, human-altered areas and disrupted habitats. While some populations have been described as being restricted to thick forests and forest fragments, other literature on Leioheterodon modestus shows a generally patchy distribution within central, western and southern Madagascar. They can be found during both rainy and dry season in forests, as well as on forest edges, in open areas and in anthropogenic (human-altered) environments.

They are endemic to Madagascar. Multiple accounts describe this species being found in elevations between 40–300 m (130–980 ft). However, one account describes two individuals 200 km east of their known range, as well... Wikipedia →