Pseudaspis

Pseudaspis is a small genus in the family Pseudaspididae, a group of non-front-fanged African snakes. The genus is best known for a single widely recognized species, the mole snake (Pseudaspis cana), which ranges across much of southern Africa and into parts of East Africa. The family Pseudaspididae was split out from the broader colubroid snakes to group several African lineages that share a similar evolutionary history, and Pseudaspis sits alongside relatives such as the slug-eating snakes in that family. Mole snakes are robust, thick-bodied animals that can reach roughly 1.5 to 2 meters, making them one of the larger constrictors of the region.

In general terms, mole snakes are heavy, smooth-scaled snakes with a small pointed head and a body color that varies widely from yellowish brown to gray, olive, or nearly black, with juveniles often patterned and adults usually plain. The pointed snout reflects their lifestyle. They spend much of their time underground in rodent burrows and loose soil across grassland, scrub, fynbos, and farmland habitats, where they hunt by following prey into tunnels. They are not venomous and kill by constriction, which makes them harmless in the medical sense, though a large mole snake can deliver a strong, painful bite when handled or cornered and should be left alone in the wild.

Ecologically, mole snakes are valued as rodent control because their diet centers on moles, mole-rats, and other small mammals, along with the occasional bird or reptile. They are notable among African snakes for giving live birth, producing large litters of young. Behaviorally they can be defensive when threatened, hissing and striking, but they pose no venom risk to people. As with any unfamiliar wild snake, the safe choice is to observe from a distance rather than handle it, and any serious bite or uncertainty about a snake's identity should be directed to local emergency services or a poison control center such as US Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.