The Cape File Snake, Mehelya capensis, is a large snake of the Southern African savannah and coastal forests, belonging to the family Colubridae. Found from Natal northwards through the former Transvaal and Zimbabwe, and westwards to the Caprivi Strip and Namibia, thence northwards to Cameroon and Somalia. With an average length of about 120cm, specimens of 165cm have been recorded. It has a very flat head and its body is strikingly triangular in cross-section.