Desert snake caught from Riffa neighbourhood

A desert snake has been caught from one of the neighbourhoods in Riffa and was handed over to the Bahrain Welfare Society, it was announced. According to a statement quoting the society president Mahmood Faraj, the snake was from the species the Eryx jayakari, commonly known as the Arabian sand snake and it was later released in an area nearby Al Areen Wildlife. “A Bahraini man found the snake and we appreciate his gesture of catching it without causing any harm. People generally prefer to kill snakes whenever they see them,” Mr Faraj said in the statement.

The society contacted the Supreme Council for Environment as soon as they received it and they were consulted before setting it free in an area nearby Al Areen Wildlife. “It’s very much uncommon to see this snake roaming in the neighbourhoods because it prefers to bury itself under sand in the morning and leaves at night to hunt its preys such as lizards and mouses,” he added. The Arabian sand snake is a small snake growing to a total length (including tail) of about 38 cm (15 in).

The eyes are very small and are located on the top of the head, which has a blunt snout and is wedge-shaped. This snake’s colour is yellowish-grey or sandy-brown speckled with white flecks and transversely banded with dark marks.