Leioheterodon madagascariensis
Least Concern
STATUS
Least Concern
SIZE
up to 6 feet (1.8 meters)
HABITAT
Grasslands
Dry tropical forest
Rainforest
DIET
Mammals, lizards, amphibians, and eggs
LIFESTYLE
Diurnal
Terrestrial
Somewhat social
THREATS
Habitat Loss
Deforestation
INTERESTING FACTS
Unlike many snake species, giant hognose snakes share dens and burrows with others of their kind. How neighborly!
When threatened, these snakes may rise up and expand the skin around their head, a bit like a cobra, to look bigger and more imposing. It’s a bluff though—they’re really just buying time to get away.
Madagascar’s hognose snakes are not related to the hognose snake species found in North America. Their similarity is an example of parallel evolution.
Characteristics
Adaptable, fast, and a bit fiesty, the Madagascar giant hognose snake is one of three hognose snake species that are found on the island. It is the largest, reaching up to six feet in length and about the thickness of a human forearm. Although it may look imposing, this is a colubrid species, rear-fanged, only mildly venomous, and not harmful to humans. The common name comes from the upturned and slightly flattened snout, which looks a bit like a pig’s nose. It acts like a shovel as the snake forages through leaf litter for prey, and it helps dig into sandy soil for burrowing and to find buried lizard eggs. Another noticeable feature is the large eyes, each with a protruding scale above to protect from blowing dust.
Behavior
Madagascar giant hognose snakes are ground dwellers that are mostly active during the day. They hang out in shrubs and leaf litter, where their black and yellow patterning gives them excellent camouflage. If startled, they may rise up and hiss, but it’s really a bluff that gives the snake time to escape. Interestingly, unlike many snake species these hognoses have been documented to live communally, sharing burrows and nest dens with others of their kind.
Foods and Feeding
Perhaps one reason these snakes are still abundant and found in many locations is that they are not picky about food. If they can catch something, they’ll eat it! They seek out small reptiles, frogs, birds, and eggs, and sometimes even small lemurs or other snakes. They capture the prey with one precise bite, and the fangs in the back of the mouth hold it. The fangs can inject a mild venom, but it’s been shown that giant hognoses rarely use the venom to kill their prey, relying more on constriction.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
A few weeks after mating, a female giant hognose lays 8 to 10 oval-shaped, soft-shelled, white eggs in a burrow. She may guard her clutch for a period of time, to protect it from potential nest robbers going after the eggs. The young hatch after little more than two months, and they are on their own, able to catch small frogs and mammals.
Conservation and Threats
Madagascar giant hognose snakes are abundant and their population is stable, so they are listed by IUCN as Least Concern. They are affected by habitat loss and deforestation, but their biggest threat is being killed by humans. Despite being rather harmless, these snakes are often killed when they wander into gardens and villages. Many people fear snakes in general, and many are unaware that this species is not a threat to humans. In fact, it helps keep small mammals in check, which is beneficial. Education and a greater understanding could help make giant hognose snakes good neighbors instead of foes.