Kenyan green snake ID please

[ortelius]

We found this fellow in Samburu NP in Kenya. Very agile and shy, climbing up and down on a large tree. About 1.5 meters long, and very slim. Green mamba? Boomslang? Green bush snake?

[4ePajero]

The eyes look too small for a boomslang.

[Pjansen83]

Green water snake? I think the green bush snake has "spots" from its head to about half it's body.

[WD40]

It might be a Boomslang, but they are actually very seldom such a uniform green colour. If you look on the side view pictures, those eyes ere pretty big, and the head shape is also similar to boomslang, I wouldn’t rule out boomslang completely.

But my guess is it’s probably a Battersby Green Snake. but 150cm would be a very long example, they are typically around 1m long. The slender body does make them seem longer though. They are very common in Kenya, and harmless.

Those are lovely clear pics. If I may ask, what camera are you using?

[ortelius]

Thanks for such prompt replies, much appreciated.

I would rule out Green water snake, as Samburu NP in Kenya is a very arid habitat, and afaik, GWS doesn't usually spend its time on trees.

@WD40: Battersby Green Snake would also be my best guess, but I know very little about snakes. Maybe 1.5 m was a bit exaggerated (or maybe not), but it was certainly at least 1.2 m long. I use Canon EOS 7 Mark II, with Tamron 150-600.

Here is another picture, more from her profile:

[CalDriver]

We saw (I think) the same type of snake in the Masai Mara, but never ID'd it. Thanks for posting.

Off topic, but...did you make it to Turkana!?

[apfac]

”…

Off topic, but...did you make it to Turkana!?

I think we will have to wait for the report! 😉

Keep well Ortelius.

AP

P.S: Sorry no clue about the snake.

[CalDriver]

I think we will have to wait for the report! 😉

Keep well Ortelius.

AP

P.S: Sorry no clue about the snake.

Fair enough! At least Ortelius is a faster report writer than me, thank goodness! I wait with bated breath.

[jeeperscreepersXJ]

hmmm...

Not a Green Mamba, the mouth, eyes and nose are different.
Not a Boomslang as again the eyes and yours is far too green.

Only one left is a Battersby's green snake as the eyes, mouth and colouring match, but they only grow to a maximum length of around 1m, they are harmless, maybe your measurements were off?

[ortelius]

Thanks again for all the responses. I think we have reached the consensus, it most probably indeed is BGS. And yeah, my length assessment was probably a bit enthusiastic.

As for the offtopic: no, we didn't make it to Turkana. Various car problems, in general, it was simply not reliable enough, it would be far too risky. Turkana will wait for another time. But having to change plans, which included an unplanned visit to Masai Mara, is not the worst thing that could happen to you in Africa, right?

The trip report is in the making...

[Jens78]

Almost certainly Battersby green snake. Boomslang has keeled scales, this example has smooth scales. Certainly not green mamba; eyes too big, head too short, colour not the same.