Cape Wolf Snake
Lycophidion capense
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyLamprophiidae (Lamprophiid Snakes)
- GenusLycophidion (African Wolf Snakes)
- SpeciesLycophidion capense (Cape Wolf Snake)
About the Cape Wolf Snake
The Cape wolf snake (Lycophidion capense) is a species of oviparous, nonvenomous snake which occurs over a wide area of Southern, Central, and East Africa. Though docile and harmless, it may be confused with the very venomous stiletto snake.
The species contains three subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, L. c. capense: Lycophidion capense capense (A. Smith, 1831) Lycophidion capense jacksoni (Boulenger, 1893) Lycophidion capense loveridgei Laurent, 1968
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Lycophidion. Adults regularly reach 40 cm in length, but some grow to 64 cm. It has a flattened, tapering head and marbled eye. The brown or black lateral and dorsal scales are tipped white, while the ventral scales are all-white. Long recurved fangs are present on the upper as well as lower jaws, for which they are named.
They are widely distributed but prefer damp locations, with lowland forest and fynbos being preferred habitats. They feed mostly on geckos and skinks which they bite and kill by constriction. They are believed to reach... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Cape Wolf Snake in Kruger National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Kruger National Park
Variegated Wolf Snake
Lycophidion variegatum
Brown House Snake
Boaedon capensis
Black File Snake
Gracililima nyassae
Common Brown Water Snake
Lycodonomorphus rufulus
Cape File Snake
Limaformosa capensis
Swazi Rock Snake
Inyoka swazicus
Floodplain Water Snake
Lycodonomorphus obscuriventris
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 6 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 7 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 8 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 9 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 10 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 11 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 12 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 13 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Cape Wolf Snake in Kruger National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Wolf Snake sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Cape Wolf Snake in Kruger National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Cape Wolf Snake in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.