Every so often, someone spots a bright green snake sliding across a wall or sunning itself in a tree and immediately sounds the alarm — “Boomslang!” It’s an understandable reaction, but more often than not, what they’ve actually seen is the spotted bush snake. And despite the confusion, this sleek little reptile couldn’t be more different from its venomous lookalike. The spotted bush snake (Philothamnus semivariegatus) is one of the most commonly seen snakes in southern Afric

Cheetahs are often lumped in with other big cats, but the reality is that they have very little in common with lions, leopards, and...

It’s Monday. I’ve just said goodbye to my friends and family at the airport, and now I’m sitting at the gate watching travellers pass by....