Rare snake feeding on another rare snake in Tobago

Tobago false coral (Erythrolamprus ocellatus) swallowing a One-lined ground snake (Atractus fuliginosus) in Tobago (Photo by Renoir Auguste) || Observing what snakes eat in the wild is rare. During a drive in the Main Ridge Forest Reserve in Tobago in 2023, we came across what looked like a roadkill snake. Interestingly, it was two snakes, of which both are rare to observe in Tobago. Even more interesting, it appeared one (Tobago false coral or Tobago red snake) was attempting to predate on the other (One-lined ground snake). It was unfortunate that both specimens had died, likely from a vehicle running over them. However, from this observation, we now have an idea of what the Tobago false coral likes to eat, and what hunts the one-lined ground snake in Tobago. To read more about this natural history note, check out Herpetological Review issue 55(4), pages 575-576 which can be downloaded as a PDF online.

Attempted predation of the one-lined ground snake (brown) by the Tobago false coral (red). Photo: Renoir Auguste.