Oxyrhopus petolarius
Silhouette: Beth Reinke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
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 Braulio Carrillo National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 37th most-seen of the 57 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November and December
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Forest Flame Snake in Braulio Carrillo National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, April, July and October, the lowest months. Those are among Braulio Carrillo National Park's wettest months, with about 520 mm of rain a month against 170 mm in April.
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.
6th of 7
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Forest Flame Snake sightings, Braulio Carrillo National Park ranks 6th 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 Braulio Carrillo National Park (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Blunthead Tree Snake (about 40%), Cloudy Snail-eating Snake (about 30%) and Western 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 Braulio Carrillo National Park (13 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.
