Tracy KarplusViews:
“The legendary “Pokémon” of the eastern Mediterranean, the Levant Rat Snake (Elaphe druzei) Jablonski, Ribeiro-Júnior & Meiri, 2023, is one of the most vibrant, rare, and enigmatic snake species in the Levant region.
It is a large colubrid that may exceed 2 meters in length. Despite its size, the species occurs at extremely low densities within a range estimated at around 3,000 km², with most of its population present in the Mount Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon regions.
It was long classified as the Blotched Snake (Elaphe sauromates), until the Levant population was finally recognized as its own species a few years ago. This delay was primarily due to a lack of herpetological research and expertise, as well as the unstable political situation in the region.
It took me more than six years of field trips and searching to encounter my first individual in the wild, largely because very little is known about the habits and activity patterns of these remarkable reptiles. I have been luckier with encounters since then; however, they rarely exceed two individuals per year.
We recently succeeded in listing the species as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List and are slowly working to collect more data on its distribution and behaviour within its habitat.
Unfortunately, there are no facilities or funding that support herpetological research or conservation in Lebanon, which makes progress very slow.” — Rami Khashab
Our sincere thanks to Rami Khashab for sharing this striking photograph and the story behind it. Rami is the founder of Herping Lebanon, the first and only initiative dedicated specifically to the conservation of reptiles and amphibians in Lebanon.
Lebanon is home to more than 60 species of reptiles and amphibians, many of which are often feared or overlooked despite their critical ecological roles. Through Herping Lebanon, Rami works to conserve native herpetofauna using several approaches, including field surveys that fill key data gaps (and have even led to the documentation of new species in the country, such as Simon’s Blind Snake), reptile rescue and relocation to ensure the safety of both animals and people, and conservation through education. This educational work includes active outreach on social media and in-person lectures aimed at younger generations and diverse communities.
We encourage you to explore more of Rami’s work on Instagram: @herpinglebanon.
