What Types of Snakes There Are

Snakes can be found almost everywhere in the world, in a wide range of colors and sizes. Besides being covered in scales, these reptiles have the ability to regulate their own body temperature. At the same time, they play an important role in the ecosystem, as they keep balance in the food web.

5-Minute Crafts has created a guide with some of the most interesting snakes you can find in each continent along with their main traits.

❗ Important: Some snake species are venomous and can be extremely dangerous to humans. Therefore, it’s advisable to never hold these reptiles. In case of a snake bite, seek medical assistance immediately.

North America

1. Western coral snake: It’s also known as Arizona or Sonoran coral snake. It can be found in New Mexico and the United States. It’s usually 13 to 18 inches long, with a very thin body. It can be very easy to identify due to its red, yellow, white, and black bands.
2. Mexican pine snake: It’s also called the Mexican bull snake. As described in its name, it can be found in different Mexican cities, including Jalisco, Nuevo León, and Oaxaca. It inhabits areas such as pine forests, meadows, corn plantations, and scrubland.

Central America

1. Side-striped palm viper: It can be found in Costa Rica and Panama, usually in coffee plantations. It has a thin body, with an average length that goes from 23 to 27 inches. It’s characterized by an intense blueish or emerald green color, with yellow stripes on its sides and bottom.
2. Cantil viper: It can be found in dry tropical forests in Mexico and Costa Rica. It’s a medium-sized terrestrial snake that is often hidden under fallen leaves and close to tree trunks and roots, where it hunts for frogs and lizards.

South America

1. Rainbow boa: It can be found in savannas and woodlands of the Amazon basin. Male boas can grow up to 6 feet, while females can reach about 7 feet. Its color can vary from red to orange, with black patterns.
2. Eyelash pit viper: It can be found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, but it also inhabits parts of Mexico and Central America. This viper is characterized by a couple of hoods over its eyes that look like eyelashes. It can grow up to 32 inches.

Africa

1. Green mamba: It can be found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique, among other regions of southern East Africa. It is bright green in color and has a thin, slender body. It prefers coastal areas with dense vegetation.
2. Cape cobra: It inhabits South Africa. It’s usually found in dry sandy areas and other open habitats, such as grasslands. It’s able to climb into trees for hunting, and it can grow up to 63 inches long.
3. African rock python: It can be found in the grasslands and sub-Saharan areas in Africa. It’s the largest African species, with a length of 20 to 30 feet. It can weigh up to 250 pounds and lives about 30 years in captivity.

Europe

1. Grass snake: It can be found in England and Wales. It’s usually greenish with a pale belly. Its length is between 35 and 59 inches and it can live up to 25 years. In summer, it can be spotted swimming or lying under the sunlight near ponds.
2. European viper: It’s also called the European adder. It has a dark zigzag band on the back along with round spots on the sides. It can grow up to 22 inches. It’s very shy around humans, but it can react when it feels threatened.
3. Leopard snake: It can be found in Italy, Turkey, and Malta. It can grow up to 39 feet. It prefers to stay away from high temperatures and is usually spotted on rocks, scrubland, and river edges, being the most active during the daytime.

Asia

1. Mock viper: It can be found in different Asian countries, such as Thailand, China, India, and Vietnam. It’s a small snake with an average length of 16 to 24 inches. It’s terrestrial and mainly active during the day.
2. King cobra: It can live up to 20 years in the wild. It can be found in swamps and forests of south and southeast Asia. Its length can reach up to 18 feet. In the presence of predators, it forms a hood by expanding ribs and muscles on its neck, which makes it look bigger.
3. Malaysian blue coral snake: It can be found in several Asian countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. It’s characterized by its bright red head and large white or blue stripes along each side of its body. It has an average length of 59 feet.

Australia

1. Red-naped snake: It’s characterized by a red or orange nape on its head, and it has dark brown or black scales covering its body. It can grow up to 1.3 feet. It’s a nocturnal species and can be found in Western Queensland.
2. Green tree snake: It’s also known as the common tree snake. Its body is very slender, which can be anything from olive-green to different shades of brown. If it’s disturbed, it inflates its body, revealing blue skin patches between its scales.
3. Carpet python: It can be found in Brisbane. It’s often seen in trees but can be spotted on roads on warm nights in all types of habitats during spring and summer. Its colors can go from grayish-green to brown, and they can grow up to 6.5 feet.