World’s Smallest Snake Rediscovered in Barbados After Two Decades
In a remarkable breakthrough for global conservation, scientists have rediscovered the world’s smallest known snake—the Barbados threadsnake (Tetracheilostoma carlae)—after it went unseen for nearly two decades. Measuring just 10 centimeters (4 inches) in length, this elusive reptile had long been presumed extinct in the wild due to deforestation, habitat loss, and a lack of sightings since the early 2000s.
The rediscovery was made in March 2025 during an ecological survey conducted by the Barbados Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the international conservation group Re:wild. The team, led by local researchers Connor Blades and Justin Springer, found the tiny, worm-like snake under a rock in a small patch of forest in the Scotland District, a region known for its remaining pockets of native vegetation.
This species, originally described in 2008 by biologist S. Blair Hedges, holds the title of the world’s smallest snake. Adults of the species are about as thin as a spaghetti strand and small enough to comfortably coil on a U.S. quarter coin. The Barbados threadsnake is a non-venomous, blind, burrowing species, typically found in moist soil and leaf litter, where it feeds on ant and termite larvae. Due to its subterranean lifestyle and tiny size, it is extremely difficult to observe in the wild, contributing to its “lost” status for nearly 20 years.
The rediscovery is particularly significant as it highlights the resilience of life in even the most degraded habitats. Over 90% of Barbados’s original forests have been cleared for agriculture, urban development, and tourism. This has made the threadsnake’s habitat increasingly fragmented, placing enormous pressure on its survival. Conservationists had feared the species was extinct, and it was officially listed among Re:wild’s “Most Wanted Lost Species”—a list of animals not seen in decades but not formally declared extinct.
The researchers’ joy at rediscovering the snake is matched by concern for its future. With such a limited range and small population, the species remains critically endangered. Efforts are now underway to map its distribution, assess population size, and implement measures to protect its remaining habitat. The team is also working to raise public awareness in Barbados about the snake’s ecological importance and its need for protection.
The Barbados threadsnake lays a single, long egg, and hatchlings emerge nearly half the size of the adult—an adaptation scientists believe is related to the constraints of such extreme miniaturization. Evolutionarily, it may represent the smallest viable body size for a terrestrial vertebrate.
The rediscovery of Tetracheilostoma carlae is a powerful reminder of the hidden biodiversity that still exists in vulnerable ecosystems and the importance of ongoing field research and habitat conservation. As the world faces accelerating biodiversity loss, stories like this offer hope—and underline the urgency of protecting what remains.