About Telescopus semiannulatus Smith, 1849
This species, commonly known as the tiger snake, has the scientific name Telescopus semiannulatus Smith, 1849. Adult individuals average 60–90 cm (2.0–3.0 ft) in total length, and have 17–21 rows of dorsal scales. It is counted among the more colorful snake species in the family Colubridae. Its dorsal side ranges in color from pale orange to salmon pink, marked with 24–48 black or dark-brown cross bars or blotches that run along the back and tail. The underside is pale yellow to orangish pink along the throat, and becomes paler across the rest of the body. It has a distinct head, large orange eyes with vertical pupils, a narrow body, and a long tail. Its geographic range, organized by UN subregion, is as follows: it occurs in Central Africa in the Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola; in Eastern Africa in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique; and in Southern Africa in Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, and South Africa. Telescopus semiannulatus can be found in both dry and humid subtropical and tropical habitats, ranging from rocky desert, scrub and savanna, to lowland forest. It is largely terrestrial, but is sometimes arboreal. It shelters under bark and rock, or in thatched roofs, and it is a nocturnal species.
