The Galápagos racer (Pseudalsophis biserialis ) is a colubrid snake in the genus Pseudalsophis that is endemic to the Galápagos Islands. It is a mildly venomous constrictor but it is not considered aggressive or harmful to humans. The two subspecies are the eastern and western racers, the latter being larger, longer, and darker than the former. The western subspecies specializes in hunting fish, while both subspecies eat small reptiles, eggs, rodents, and bird hatchlings. The Galapagos racer is near threatened due to recently introduced species that feed on snake eggs, including pigs, rats, mice, and cats. It is one of only three species of snakes on the Galápagos Islands, and it was first described in 1860. In November 2016, a video clip from the BBC series Planet Earth II showing a group of Galápagos racers hunting marine iguana hatchlings became a viral trend.
The Galápagos racer is a mildly venomous constrictor but it is not considered aggressive or harmful to humans. The two subspecies are the eastern and western racers, the latter being larger, longer, and darker than the former. It is one of only three species of snakes on the Galápagos Islands, and it was first described in 1860.
These snakes can be found only in the Galápagos Islands where they inhabit dry forests, shrubland, and rural gardens.
Galápagos racers are solitary creatures and prefer to spend time singly. They are most active around dawn and dusk and usually rest around midday. They are one of the fastest snakes but when hunting they rely not only on their speed. Galápagos racers use their cryptic coloration when preying and also their acute sight.
Galápagos racers are carnivores that feed mainly on small reptiles, eggs, rodents, bird hatchlings, and fish.
Little information is known about the mating system and reproductive habits of this species.
Galapagos racers are near threatened due to recently introduced species like pigs, rats, mice, and cats that feed on snake eggs.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Galápagos racer total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List.