Philodryas olfersii
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Philodryas olfersii is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to South America. Common names for Philodryas olfersii include Lichtenstein's green racer, South American green racer, and eastern green whiptail,
The specific name, olfersii, is in honor of German naturalist Ignaz von Olfers. Philodryas olfersii is native to southern South America, including northern Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, and northwestern Paraguay. Philodryas olfersii reaches 1 to 1.5 meters (about 40 to 60 inches) in maximum total length (including tail).
Dorsally, it is green in color; ventrally, it is yellowish. The dorsal scales are smooth, without apical pits, and are arranged in 19 rows at midbody. Philodryas olfersii can be found in many habitat types, including the Cerrado, Caatinga, forest, forest transition, and restinga. It has been found at altitudes from sea level to 1,700 m (5,600 ft). The species Philodryas olfersii is often arboreal, but it also forages on the ground. It is diurnal, though it has been observed mating late in the evening... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoológico de Brasília | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes | 🇫🇷 France |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Lichtenstein's Green Racer sighting in Iguazú National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 18 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October and December
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Lichtenstein's Green Racer in Iguazú National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–July and November, the lowest months. Those are among Iguazú National Park's wettest months, with about 230 mm of rain a month against 90 mm in August.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Lichtenstein's Green Racer sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Lichtenstein's Green Racer sightings, Iguazú National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Iguaçu National Park (Brazil, about 10%).
Same family: Colubridae
The closest relatives of the Lichtenstein's Green Racer that you can see in Iguazú National Park (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Chicken Snake (about 20%), Aesculapian False Coral Snake (about 10%) and Forest Flame Snake (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Lichtenstein's Green Racer is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Iguazú National Park (8 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.
