Conservationists feared 10cm threadsnake as thin as a strand of spaghetti had become extinct
The world’s smallest snake has been rediscovered in Barbados, 20 years after its last sighting.
The Barbados threadsnake, which had been feared extinct, was rediscovered under a rock in the centre of the island during an ecological survey in March by the environment ministry and the conservation organisation Re:wild.
The reptile can reach up to 10cm in length when it is fully grown and is as thin as a strand of spaghetti. It had been on a global list of 4,800 plants, animals and fungi species that have been lost to science.
The rarity of the snake is a concern for scientists. Connor Blades, a project officer for the environment ministry, said: “If the threadsnake population is not very dense, I am worried about their ability to find mates, particularly if their habitat is under threat and being degraded.”
