Egypt has close to forty kinds of snake, and only a handful are dangerous to people. This page lists the snakes of Egypt you are most likely to read about or meet, each with its scientific name, so you can look up the exact species and not rely on local names that change from one village to the next.
Egyptian snakes list with scientific names
| Common name | Scientific name | Family | Danger to people | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egyptian cobra | Naja haje | Elapidae | Dangerously venomous | Guide · Listing |
| Nubian spitting cobra | Naja nubiae | Elapidae | Dangerously venomous, spits | — |
| Desert black snake | Walterinnesia aegyptia | Elapidae | Dangerously venomous | — |
| Saharan horned viper | Cerastes cerastes | Viperidae | Dangerously venomous | Guide · Listing |
| Sahara sand viper | Cerastes vipera | Viperidae | Venomous | — |
| Egyptian saw-scaled viper | Echis pyramidum | Viperidae | Dangerously venomous | Guide · Listing |
| Painted saw-scaled viper | Echis coloratus | Viperidae | Dangerously venomous | — |
| False cobra (Moila snake) | Malpolon moilensis | Psammophiidae | Rear-fanged, mild venom | Guide |
| Schokari sand racer | Psammophis schokari | Psammophiidae | Rear-fanged, mild venom | Guide |
| African beauty snake | Psammophis sibilans | Psammophiidae | Rear-fanged, mild venom | — |
| Arabian cat snake | Telescopus dhara | Colubridae | Rear-fanged, mild venom | — |
| False smooth snake | Macroprotodon cucullatus | Colubridae | Rear-fanged, mild venom | — |
| Diadem snake | Spalerosophis diadema | Colubridae | Harmless | — |
| Flowered racer | Platyceps florulentus | Colubridae | Harmless | — |
| Crowned leaf-nosed snake | Lytorhynchus diadema | Colubridae | Harmless | — |
| Dice snake | Natrix tessellata | Natricidae | Harmless | — |
| Javelin sand boa | Eryx jaculus | Erycidae | Harmless | — |
| Kenyan sand boa | Eryx colubrinus | Erycidae | Harmless | — |
| Cairo blind snake | Myriopholis cairi | Leptotyphlopidae | Harmless | — |
Venomous snakes in Egypt
The medically important snakes fall into two groups. The first is the elapids: the Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) along the Nile and the Delta, the Nubian spitting cobra (Naja nubiae) in the south, and the glossy black desert black snake (Walterinnesia aegyptia) in Sinai and the north-east. Their venom acts mainly on the nerves.
The second group is the vipers. The Saharan horned viper (Cerastes cerastes) and the smaller Sahara sand viper (Cerastes vipera) live in sandy desert. The saw-scaled vipers, Echis pyramidum in the north and Echis coloratus in the Eastern Desert and Sinai, are small but cause serious bites. Viper venom mainly damages tissue and blood clotting.
For how to tell them apart in the field, see venomous vs non-venomous snakes in Egypt.
Rear-fanged snakes
Several common Egyptian snakes have small grooved fangs at the back of the mouth and a mild venom meant for lizards and mice. The best known is the false cobra (Malpolon moilensis), which flattens its neck into a narrow hood when cornered. The sand racers (Psammophis) are long, thin, very fast day-active hunters. Bites from this group are rarely more than a local reaction, but they should still be avoided.
Harmless snakes of Egypt
The diadem snake (Spalerosophis diadema) is a large, handsome desert rat-eater. The flowered racer (Platyceps florulentus) is the slim snake of gardens and farmland in the Nile valley. The dice snake (Natrix tessellata) hunts fish in Delta canals. Two sand boas, Eryx jaculus and Eryx colubrinus, live mostly under the surface. The tiny Cairo blind snake (Myriopholis cairi) looks like a pink earthworm and eats ant and termite larvae.
Where snakes live in Egypt
- Nile valley and Delta: Egyptian cobra, flowered racer, African beauty snake, dice snake, Cairo blind snake.
- Western Desert and oases: horned viper, sand viper, diadem snake, Schokari sand racer, false cobra.
- Eastern Desert and Sinai: painted saw-scaled viper, desert black snake, Arabian cat snake, horned viper.
- Mediterranean coast: Egyptian saw-scaled viper, false smooth snake, javelin sand boa.
Export and CITES
Most Egyptian snakes are not CITES-listed. The exceptions on this list are the sand boas (Eryx), which are in Appendix II and need a CITES export permit. Venomous species can only go to licensed keepers and institutions, under the import rules of the destination country. Our shipping policy explains the paperwork, and you can browse Egyptian snakes for sale.
Frequently asked questions
How many venomous snakes are there in Egypt?
Seven species are considered dangerous: two cobras, the desert black snake and four vipers. A few more are rear-fanged with mild venom.
What is the most dangerous snake in Egypt?
The Egyptian cobra and the saw-scaled vipers are responsible for the most serious bites.
Are there snakes in Cairo?
Yes, mostly harmless ones such as the flowered racer and the Cairo blind snake. Cobras turn up on farmland at the edges of the city.
See all groups, including lizards and tortoises, in Reptiles of Egypt: species list with scientific names.
