Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Naja peroescobari (Naja peroescobari), recorded as Endangered
Naja peroescobari (Naja peroescobari). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Naja peroescobari

Naja peroescobari

Naja peroescobari is a lizard or snake in the family Elapidae, recorded as Endangered.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Naja peroescobari
Taxonomy
Squamata · Elapidae · Naja

The lizard or snake

Naja peroescobari is a lizard or snake in the family Elapidae.

Range and habitat

Naja peroescobari, the São Tomé island forest cobra or Pero Escobar's cobra, is a snake in the family Elapidae. It was previously considered to be the same species as the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) found on the African mainland, and was believed to have been introduced by Portuguese settlers to limit the proliferation of rats. In 2017 it was discovered to be a different species endemic to the island of São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe.

Naja peroescobari is one of the few predators on the island of terrestrial mammals such as black rats (Rattus rattus) and least weasels (Mustela nivalis).

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

In crisis

Naja peroescobari is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Naja peroescobari, Wikidata item Q41202382. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Andaman cobra (Naja sagittifera), recorded as EndangeredEN

Andaman cobra

Naja sagittifera
Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii

Quick answers

What is Naja peroescobari?
Naja peroescobari is a lizard or snake in the family Elapidae.
What is the conservation status of Naja peroescobari?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Naja peroescobari. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Naja peroescobari live?
It was previously considered to be the same species as the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) found on the African mainland, and was believed to have been introduced by Portuguese settlers to limit the proliferation of rats.
Why is Naja peroescobari in crisis?
It was previously considered to be the same species as the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) found on the African mainland, and was believed to have been introduced by Portuguese settlers to limit the proliferation of rats.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Naja peroescobari?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Naja peroescobari a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.