On World Snake Day, Here Are 5 Snakes You Would Find Around the Middle East
July 16 is World Snake Day, and though we can certainly see why some individuals are afraid of snakes, we can not help but admire these diverse reptiles. Snakes can grow from a few inches to 30 feet long and range from friendly to aggressive and lethal and the Middle East is home to many different kinds of snakes, and we’re here to learn more about them.
Blind Snake
The blind snake, which is only 18 cm long, maybe the smallest snake in the region. Dark brown or reddish in color, smooth, and with simple eyes surrounded by clear scales. It is a worm-like snake that spends its days burrowing in moist soil, such as in flowerpots. On occasion, they arrive at night. They eat insects that reside in the soil, including ants, and other pests. Male members of this species have not yet been discovered by scientists. It is a parthenogenetic, exclusively female species that reproduces unisexually. It can mainly be found in Sharjah.
Sand Boa
The Sand Boa has a maximum length of 65 cm long. It has bright, shining dorsal scales that are marked with brown and orange spots. The dorsal side of the head is where the eyes and nostrils are located. This snake has a short, pointed tail that ends in what resembles a claw. It has a home both inside and on the sand’s surface. According to Gulf News, It typically hunts at night and suffocates its prey. It eats tiny birds, rats, and lizards.
Arabian Rat Snake
Little more than a meter long, the Arabian Rat Snake has a drab brown color with a few dark crossbar-shaped markings that are distributed erratically on the dorsal side of the body. Being a diurnal animal, it is awake during the day and asleep at night. These reptiles typically reside on farms throughout the mountainous terrain and thinly vegetated gravelly plains in Abu Dhabi. These snakes eat constrictor-killed lizards, birds, and rodents.
Leaf-nosed snake
The rostral shield of the leaf-nosed snake, often known as the awl-headed snake, is oddly formed and extensively shortened. This snake can grow to a maximum length of 45 cm, which is rather short. It is an eye-catching, nocturnal snake. There is a distinctive trident marking on the head. The snake’s primary color is a dark, light brown according to Gulf News. The front and rear of these reptiles are covered in white spots. They mostly inhabit rural areas, suburban areas, and mountains in the UAE.
Hooded Malpolon
The Malpolon, often referred to as a “cobra,” has a partial hood that may be dilated and kept sideways. It has a slender body, 150cm in length, and checkered designs on it. They mostly eat lizards, small birds, and rodents according to Gulf News. They are mostly found in Saudi Arabia.
