Oxyrhopus petolarius
Silhouette: Beth Reinke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Oxyrhopus petolarius, commonly known as the forest flame snake, is a species of mildly venomous snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to Central and South America. There are three recognized subspecies.
According to American herpetologist Jay M. Savage (2011) the correct scientific name should be Oxyrhopus petolarius. Oxyrhopus petolarius is found in central and northern South America, including Trinidad and Tobago. The preferred natural habitats of Oxyrhopus petolarius are forest and savanna, at altitudes from sea level to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).
Adults of Oxyrhopus petolarius may attain a total length of 91 cm (36 in), which includes a tail 22 cm (8.7 in) long. Coloration is variable. It usually consists of some combination of red and black rings or crossbands. In some individuals the light-colored crossbands are white instead of red on the anterior part of the body.
The dorsal scales are smooth, with apical pits, and are arranged in 19 rows at midbody. Oxyrhopus petolarius is rear-fanged, and its venom is extremely toxic to anole lizards. ��2... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tenorio Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 2 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 3 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 4 | Farallones de Cali National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 5 | Arenal Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 6 | Braulio Carrillo National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 7 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Park Of İstanbul - Hayvanat Bahçesi, Mesire Alanı, Rehabilitasyon Merkezi, Kır Düğünü | 🇹🇷 Türkiye |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Forest Flame Snake sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, based on 27 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 28th most-seen of the 64 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May–June, August and October
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Forest Flame Snake in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July and December, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Forest Flame Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
5th of 7
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Forest Flame Snake sightings, Arenal Volcano National Park ranks 5th at about 10%. The best odds are in Tenorio Volcano National Park (Costa Rica, about 20%), Manu National Park (Peru, about 10%) and Tambopata National Reserve (Peru, about 10%).
Same family: Colubridae
The closest relatives of the Forest Flame Snake that you can see in Arenal Volcano National Park (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Ornate Cat-eyed Snake (about 30%), Cloudy Snail-eating Snake (about 20%) and Blunthead Tree Snake (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Forest Flame Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Arenal Volcano National Park (27 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
