“They’re Quite Rare”: Men Rediscover the World’s Smallest Snake, Return Creeps Out South Africans

• Connor Blades and Justin Springer from Barbados shared that they rediscovered the threadsnake after 20 years
• One of the men explained how they found the snake during an ecological survey in March
• News of the snake's return sparked discomfort among many South African social media users who also cracked jokes

A rare threadsnake, previously thought to be extinct, has been rediscovered by two men from Barbados, astonishing researchers and social media users alike. While snake enthusiasts and conservationists rejoice in the comeback, some South Africans admitted to getting the heebie-jeebies.

Re:wild, an organisation aimed at protecting and restoring nature, shared on its website that the Barbados Ministry of the Environment and Beautification had searched for the 9-10cm (when fully grown) snake for over a year as part of the Conserving Barbados' Endemic Reptiles (CBER) project.

The threadsnake had reportedly been lost to science for over 20 years.

Connor Blades, a project officer with the island's ministry, and Justin Springer, Re:wild's programme officer, found the threadsnake during an ecological survey in March.

Read also

'The River' star and news reporter Aldrin Sampear dumps Newzroom Afrika

Connor informed people:

"They're quite rare, it seems. There have only been a handful of confirmed sightings since 1889, so there are not many people who have ever seen it, unfortunately."

During their search, Connor loosened a rock from under a tree root and saw an earthworm with a small snake. Justin then picked up the tiny reptile, which resembles a Brahminy blind snake, for further inspection before confirmation.

Justin shared that when looking for things and they are not initially spotted, it can come as a complete shock. He added:

"That's how I felt. You don't want to get your hopes up to high."

Threadsnake's return creeps out Mzansi

Upon learning about the snake's comeback, several South African social media users shared that they would not be rolling out the red carpet for the slithering reptile.

Casslome Motale humorously asked:

"Comeback from where? Vacation?"

Maria MoMi wasn't a fan and noted:

Read also

Snake found inside car in Broome: 1.8-Metre mulga snake causes panic on social media

"Bite or not, snakes are snakes, my Lord."

A comical Gavhi Rovhidzwa said to the public:

"This snake needs to be investigated by Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi."

Not a fan of the reptile, Muzi Ntshiza wrote:

"Dinosaurs would be more appreciated than snakes."

Tman Shandu shared as a joke:

"Someone's ex coming back to finish off what's left of them."

Sihle Radebe told the online community:

"I really don’t know why I hate snakes. It doesn’t matter the size."

Take a look at Justin's explanation in the Instagram video below:

3 Other stories about snakes

• In another article, Briefly News reported on a viral video that unexpectedly captured a snake giving birth to live baby snakes. The rare and educational footage sparked curiosity and conversations about snake biology.
• A professional snake catcher demonstrated how he caught a boomslang, one of Africa's most venomous snakes, in a bushy area where people were hanging out.
• A video of a snake's bloated belly sparked curiosity about its last meal. Social media users shared their speculations and debated about the cause of the reptile's enlarged midsection.

Read also

Ntsiki Mazwai reacts to death hoax of businessman allegedly linked to Cat Matlala

Updated by Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News.

Source: Briefly News