The world’s smallest snake species is the Barbados threadsnake (Tetracheilostoma carlae), a blind snake that’s just 3-4 inches long. The snake lives only in one place: Barbados. Scientists hadn’t seen a live Barbados threadsnake in nearly 20 years, but all of that changed when a team of researchers lifted a rock. The team rediscovered a species some scientists feared had already gone extinct; thankfully, Earth’s smallest snake was simply a little lost.
“After it was lost to science for nearly 20 years, a Barbados Threadsnake was FOUND under a rock in central Barbados during an ecological survey in March by Justin Springer of @rewild and Connor Blades of the Barbados Ministry of the Environment and National Beautification,” wrote Re:wild in its Instagram post sharing the exciting find. “Now conservationists are hopeful that they can learn more about the species and help protect its habitat!”
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Springer told Re:wild that he couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the tiny snake. He explains that habitat destruction and invasive species have caused many endemic species in Barbados to go extinct.
See the world’s smallest snake, once lost and now found:
Header stock image of a Barbados threadsnake by Mariano Sayno/Getty Images