Thread snake (Leptotyphlos macrorhynchus )

The thread snake (Leptotyphlos macrorhynchus ) is one of the smallest snakes in the world. It grows only to about 15 cms and remains very thin. With its uniformly pink body, it is often mistaken for an earthworm. It dislikes light and burrows if the texture of the soil allows it to, or hides under dry leaves and grass. It feeds on small insects such as termites and is usually found in and around cultivations and gardens. Widespread in the United Arab Emirates it is rarely found in the dry open desert.