Reptiles · Squamata · Boidae

Kenyan Sand Boa

Eryx colubrinus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Kenyan sand boa is a small, stout boa adapted to living underground: it has a wedge-shaped snout for pushing through sand, tiny eyes set facing upwards, and a short, blunt tail. It spends almost its whole life buried and only puts its head out to ambush rodents and lizards passing overhead.

Weight

300 g – 900 g

Size

45 cm – 90 cm

Lifespan

25 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Crepuscular

Active above all at dawn and dusk.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaDesertCarnivore Crepuscular Solitary Reptile Savanna Desert

9countries 14parks11same family

Fun facts

GeneralIt buries itself in the sand with only its eyes showing, to ambush rodents.
It lives virtually buried: its wedge-shaped snout works like a spade and its tiny, upward-facing eyes let it watch the surface while the rest of its body stays under the sand.
When it feels threatened it tucks its head under its body and raises its tail, offering the predator a blunt, expendable end instead of its head.
It is one of the longest-lived boas in captivity for its size: there are individuals that have passed thirty years while weighing less than a kilo.