Common name: Javelin Sand Boa
Scientific name: Eryx jaculus
Family: Boidae

Size:
Total length: 40–80 cm

Identification:
A stout, cylindrical-bodied snake with a short, blunt tail and a small, wedge-shaped head that is barely distinct from the body. The eyes are relatively small, an adaptation to its burrowing lifestyle. Coloration typically ranges from sandy beige to grey or light brown, marked with irregular dark blotches or saddles that provide excellent camouflage against soil and rocky ground. The tail is short and rounded, often resembling the head, which may help confuse predators.

Habitat:
Dry and semi-arid environments including sandy soils, coastal plains, agricultural lands, and rocky hillsides. In Lebanon, it is found in Mediterranean habitats where loose soil allows burrowing, often hiding beneath stones or partially buried in the ground.

Status in Lebanon:
Native and locally present but rarely seen due to its fossorial and secretive nature. Likely under-recorded rather than genuinely rare.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds mainly on small mammals such as rodents, as well as lizards and occasionally small birds.

Behavior:
Mostly nocturnal and highly secretive. An ambush predator that spends much of its time buried in sand or loose soil, waiting for prey to pass. It strikes quickly and uses constriction to subdue its prey. Non-venomous and harmless to humans.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)