Geophis hoffmanni
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Geophis hoffmanni, also known commonly as Hoffmann's earth snake, is a species of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to Central America. The specific name, hoffmanni, is in honor of German naturalist Karl Hoffmann.
G. hoffmanni is found in Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. The preferred natural habitat of G. hoffmanni is forest, at altitudes of 18–2,100 m (59–6,890 ft), but it is also found in disturbed areas such as farms and gardens.
A small species of snake, the holotype of G. hoffmanni has a total length (including tail) of 24.5 cm (9.6 in) (W. Peters, 1859). The dorsal scales are arranged in 15 rows throughout the length of the body. There are five or fewer upper labials, and the posterior chin shields contact each other. The ventrals number 114–131, and the subcaudals number 23–32. Adults are uniformly dark brown or black dorsally, and are white or cream-colored ventrally. Juveniles have a paler nuchal collar.
G. hoffmanni is terrestrial and secretive, sheltering under logs and rocks. G. hoffmanni is oviparous. ��2... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Braulio Carrillo National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 2 | Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 3 | Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San José | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Hoffmann's Earth Snake sighting in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 30th most-seen of the 43 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March, May–July and September–November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Hoffmann's Earth Snake in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in April, August and December–February, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hoffmann's Earth Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Hoffmann's Earth Snake sightings, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Braulio Carrillo National Park (Costa Rica, about 10%).
Same family: Colubridae
The closest relatives of the Hoffmann's Earth Snake that you can see in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Chicken Snake (about 10%), Green Rat Snake (about 10%) and Puffing Snake (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Hoffmann's Earth Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (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.
