Kenyan Sand Boa

Sand boas are short and stout snakes, only about 1-2 feet long, that are adept at burrowing into soft substrates, such as sand. They typically have small eyes and nostrils that are positioned on top of their heads, giving them a goofy appearance. The positioning helps create open airways and keep the eyes clear of sand when they are burrowed. Kenyan sand boas also have a flat rostral scale on their snout that acts as a shovel when they burrow.

There are two recognized subspecies: E. c. colubrinus and E.c. loveridgei. The Oakland Zoo has E.c. loveridgei sand boas. These sand boas have either yellow or orange bodies that are covered in irregular splotches of dark brown or black that run along the entire body. Their belly is a pale white.

Kenyan sand boas are among the members of Boidae that have vestigial hind limbs, which present as small spurs on either side of the cloaca. Since limbs are the ancestral trait of all snakes, these spurs are remnants from when the snake lineage diverged from the other members of Squamata. Males are much more likely to have these, as they can be used during mating. Male Kenyan sand boas also tend to be smaller and have a longer tail than females.

Kenyan sand boas are found in East Africa. Their range spans from Egypt and south along the Nile into Sudan, as well as Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, and all the way to Tanzania. There are also recorded isolated populations in Niger and Chad. Since these boas require very specific soil types, they tend to occur in isolated populations throughout their range rather than one contiguous population.

Kenyan sand boas are often associated with desert, semi-desert, and dry savanna, where they are most common. However, they are also found in grasslands, steppes, sub-desert scrub, savanna, dry evergreen forests, and xerophilous open woodland. Rarely they are also found in moist savanna and coastal habitats. Kenyan sand boas are also known to thrive on agricultural lands where there is an abundance of rodents to feed on.

Kenyan sand boas are ambush predators. They bury themselves almost completely in sand, with only their eyes and nostrils sometimes visible, and lie in wait. They will spend their entire day covered in this manner until a prey animal comes too close, and they snap out of hiding to strike. Sand boas opportunistically feed on small vertebrates such as rodents, birds, or even lizards.

Kenyan sand boas are semi-nocturnal and fossorial, meaning they spend most of their time underground. During the day, they hide in holes, termite hills, in logs, under rocks, or buried in sand. At night and early morning, they may come out to hunt.

These snakes are seasonal breeders. Unlike most other boids, Kenyan sand boas do not require a pre-breeding cooling period. Breeding takes place from spring to summer (roughly April through July) and their pregnancy lasts about 4 months. And by pregnancy, we mean that sand boas give live birth! Like all reptiles, boas hatch from eggs. Unlike most reptiles, however, boa eggs hatch within the body of the mother and are born as live snakelets. This is called ovoviviparity.

Clutch sizes vary between 4 and 20 snakelets. As soon as they are born, these snakes are ready to become independent and wander off on their own. It takes them about 2-3 years to reach sexual maturity.

Kenyan sand boas are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. They are also listed on Appendix II of CITES. Their population trend is unknown, and they were last assessed in 2014. Their population in Egypt has declined over the years and they are now markedly less common. This decline is likely due to overcollection from the pet trade. However, the vast majority of their population lives on protected land and has no major threats. As such, this species remains widespread and is of no particular concern.

• Very little is known about Kenyan sand boas as they spend upwards of 80% of their day buried in sand.
• Sand boas are among the absolute smallest of the boa species, only second to the dwarf boas.
• The largest boa species that ever existed was over 40 feet long!

Oakland Zoo is home to two Kenyan sand boas that live behind the scenes. Mchanga and Minyoo are animal ambassadors, meaning they come out for educational programs. They were both born in 2015 and came to live at the zoo in 2017. Because they are both males, they are on the smaller side of the sand boa spectrum. Curled up, they easily fit into the palm of your hand.

You can meet Mchanga and Minyoo during special Zoomobile, Wildlife Assembly, or ZooCamp programs. During these programs, kids can learn more about these animals and the habitats, adaptations, or other features that make them special. You might also get lucky on your next visit to the zoo and encounter them on a serendipitous Pathway Encounter or Wildlife Theater show.