São Tomé and Príncipe green mamba specimen rediscovered in Poland

A preserved snake specimen rediscovered in a scientific collection in Poland may resolve a 150-year-old mystery regarding the wildlife of São Tomé and Príncipe. The specimen, described as a ‘ghost’ green mamba, was found at the Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.

Originally collected in 1885 by Portuguese naturalist Adolfo Frederico Möller during an expedition to São Tomé, the snake was later examined by zoologist Jacques Vladimir von Bedriaga. While Bedriaga classified it as Dendroaspis angusticeps (the eastern green mamba), the identification has remained a subject of debate for over a century.

Researchers hope that modern techniques, including DNA testing and updated taxonomic analysis, will determine if the snake represents a known species or a unique population endemic to the islands. Confirming or disproving the presence of the species could significantly impact ecological history, conservation policies, and medical preparedness for the region.