Egyptian sand boa, East African sand boa, Sand boa
The Egyptian sand boa is a heavily-built snake with a small head, small eyes, vertical pupils, and a short tail. The scale texture is extremely smooth, except on the tail, which is covered in bumps. The color pattern of these snakes may consist of a yellow or orange coloration overlaid with dark brown splotches. The belly is white- or cream-colored.
Kenyan sand boas are found in North Africa from Egypt as far west as Niger (Aïr), including Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, and northern Tanzania. A single specimen has been reported from Yemen. These snakes live in semi-desert, scrub savannas, open woodlands, rock outcroppings, and agricultural areas. They prefer sandy, friable soil.
Kenyan sand boas are solitary creatures. They are most active at night but may be irregularly active during the day. They are fossorial and spend most of their time buried in sand or underground. During the hotter times of the year, they hide beneath stones and in the burrows of small mammals. Although Kenyan sand boas are terrestrial, they have also been known to occasionally climb trees. They hunt waiting patiently for potential prey to pass by and then seize it quickly and kill by constriction.
Kenyan sand boas have a carnivorous diet that includes small mammals (such as rodents), lizards, and birds. Occasionally, they may hunt the nests of small mammals and birds.
Kenyan sand boas are ovoviviparous. In captivity, they breed readily from November through April in the United States. Females give birth to 10-20 live young in spring through late summer. The young measure 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) and are independent from the moment they were born. They become reproductively mature at the age of 2-3 years.
Kenyan sand boas are not considered threatened at present. However, in some areas of their native range, they are collected for the pet trade and suffer from the loss of habitat.
According to IUCN Red List, the Kenyan sand boa is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
