Phillipps' Earth Snake
CR

Phillipps' Earth Snake

Rhinophis phillipsi

Declining

Photo: Photo: (c) Sanjaya Kanishka, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sanjaya Kanishka

Overview

Rhinophis phillipsi, commonly known as Phillips' earth snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Uropeltidae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka.

Rhinophis phillipsi faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and agricultural expansion across its extremely limited range in Sri Lanka's wet zone. The species' specialized underground lifestyle makes it particularly vulnerable to soil disturbance from tea cultivation and urban development. Its restricted distribution to a few remaining forest fragments means that any habitat loss could push local populations toward extinction.

Threat summary

Habitat

This fossorial snake inhabits the leaf litter and upper soil layers of Sri Lanka's tropical wet zone forests, particularly in areas with rich, well-drained soils. It occurs in both primary and secondary forest remnants at elevations typically below 1,000 meters.

Forest· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recovery

Other threatened species in UROPELTIDAE

EN

Khaire's Black Shieldtail

Melanophidium khairei

Unknown
EN

Madura Earth Snake

Uropeltis madurensis

Unknown
VU

Phipson's Earth Snake

Uropeltis phipsonii

Unknown
Shevaroy HilIs Earth SnakeCR

Shevaroy HilIs Earth Snake

Uropeltis shorttii

Unknown

Threatened in Sri Lanka

Indian Star TortoiseVU

Indian Star Tortoise

Geochelone elegans

Declining
EN

Ceylonosticta nietneri

Declining
EN

Lipstick Goby

Sicyopus jonklaasi

Declining
EN

Martenstyni's Barb

Systomus martenstyni

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Phillipps' Earth Snake classified as Critically Endangered?
Phillipps' Earth Snake is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Rhinophis phillipsi faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and agricultural expansion across its extremely limited range in Sri Lanka's wet zone. The species' specialized underground lifestyle makes it particularly vulnerable to soil disturbance from tea cultivation and urban development. Its restricted distribution to a few remaining forest fragments means that any habitat loss could push local populations toward extinction.
Where does Phillipps' Earth Snake live?
Phillipps' Earth Snake occurs in Sri Lanka. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Phillipps' Earth Snake?
The main threats to Phillipps' Earth Snake are 1.1, 2.1, 5.3, and 9.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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