BARBADOS: After nearly two decades of eluding scientists, the world’s tiniest snake – the Barbados threadsnake (Tetracheilostoma carlae) – has been rediscovered during an ecological survey on the Caribbean island.
The thread-thin reptile, measuring just 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) when fully grown, was found hiding under a rock in central Barbados by a team from the Ministry of the Environment and conservation group Re:wild.
“Barbados threadsnakes are blind snakes, very rare and extremely cryptic,” said Connor Blades, a project officer with the Ministry of Environment. “There have been only a handful of confirmed sightings since 1889.”
Rare and Vulnerable Species
The snake, easily mistaken for an earthworm, has orange stripes along its back, tiny eyes on its head, and a distinctive snout scale.
It was carefully taken to the University of the West Indies for microscopic examination to confirm it wasn’t the invasive Brahminy blind snake, before being safely returned to the wild.
The species faces high vulnerability due to its limited reproductive capacity—females lay just one egg per clutch, unlike the invasive blind snakes that can reproduce without mating.
A Call for Forest Protection
With only 2% of Barbados’ original forest cover remaining, the discovery highlights the urgent need for habitat conservation.
“This rediscovery reminds us that Barbados’ forests are special and need protection—not just for the threadsnake, but for all native plants and animals,” said Justin Springer of Re:wild.
