Common Tiger Snake

Common Tiger Snake

Telescopus semiannulatus

Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Kruger National Park
34 Verified sightings at Kruger National Park From 2019 to 2026
49 Verified sightings across all 11 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted at dawn and dusk

About the Common Tiger Snake

Telescopus semiannulatus, commonly known as the common tiger snake, tiger cat snake, western tiger snake, or eastern tiger snake is a species of rear-fanged colubrid snake. It is widespread in central, eastern, and southern Africa.

Range by UN subregion: Central Africa: Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola Eastern Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, South Africa

Adults average 60–90 cm (2.0–3.0 ft) in total length, with 17–21 rows of dorsal scales. The tiger snake is one of the more colorful species of snake in the family Colubridae. The upper side is pale orange to salmon pink in color with 24–48 black or dark-brown cross bars or blotches along the back and tail; the underside is pale yellow to orangish pink along the throat, paler along the rest of the body. It has a distinct head and large orange eyes with vertical pupils, and a narrow body with long tail.

There are two subspecies: Telescopus semiannulatus polystictus Mertens, 1954 Telescopus semiannulatus semiannulatus Smith, 1849 The subspecies T. s. polystictus... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
2 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
3 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
4 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
Insufficient data
5 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
6 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
7 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
8 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
9 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
10 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
11 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Tiger Snake in Kruger National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Tiger Snake sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 34 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Tiger Snake in Kruger National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Common Tiger Snake in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.

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