Your Ultimate Guide To Barbados

Snakes

Under the “Mongoose” section of our Barbados Pocket Guide website, it was mentioned that the possible extinction of snakes on the island of Barbados was as a result of the introduction of the mongoose. Today, there are a few species of snakes recorded on the island, though their physical presence is not as prevalent as in years gone by.

Barbados has been recorded as having three species of snakes on the island. There are the blind snake (leptotyphlops bilineata), the racer snake (Liophis perfuscus) and a sea snake.

The Blind Snake

With an approximate length of 4 inches and a body-type appearance that is similar to that of a spaghetti, the blind snake is a type of threadsnake that is found in Barbados, St. Lucia and Martinique. With its unique colour pattern of brown with two yellow stripes along its sides, the blind snake typically lives underground in burrows. Its eyes are covered with scales and based on the particular habitat that it exists in, has no real usage for vision and as such is considered to be vestigial. (meaning that its eyes would have lost just about all of their original functions)

This virtually toothless and harmless snake has been recorded as the world’s smallest snake and exists on a diet that is said to consists predominately of termites and larvae.

The Racer Snake

Coloured brown with lighter sides and light lateral stripes to the rear, this species of snake is of the colubrid species and was once endemic to Barbados. It grew to an approximate length of 32 inches and is now believed to be no longer in existence on the island as the last sighting was recorded sometime back in 1963 or thereabouts. There is a strong feeling that its extinction is as a result of pesticide usage and loss of habitat due to land clearance.

Another common name for the Barbados Racer Snake is the Tan Ground Snake.

The Sea Snake

As its name aptly suggests, this particular creature is typically found inhabiting marine environments for most of its life. It has an eel like appearance and as much as the sea is its natural habitat, due to its lack of gills, must regularly come to the surface in order to breathe.

In Barbados, there is a collection of snakes that are kept in cages  and can be seen at the Barbados Wildlife Reserve in the parish of St. Peter.

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