Snakes living in Crimea: photo, name and description
Crimea is the habitat of different species of snakes. This is due to the fact that there are many places on the peninsula whose climate is favorable for the life and reproduction of reptiles.
Common steppe viper
It looks like a common viper , only the snout is slightly extended forward. The average length of an adult is about 50 cm, the maximum is 58. Females are larger than males. The skin color is grayish-brown, there is a pattern on the back - usually in the form of spots that are arranged in a zigzag. The steppe viper also has spots on its sides; they are arranged in two rows, but less bright than on the back.
Also a characteristic feature is the pattern on the snake’s head. The Crimean steppe viper has a light belly, and it may also have dark spots. A rare species is the completely black steppe viper.
- Habitat: the steppe part of the peninsula, mainly the Kerch region.
The steppe viper is a poisonous snake , but it attacks only in case of danger, and also when defending its nest. As a rule, when a snake sees a person, it simply crawls away. Despite its “toxicity,” the viper’s venom is not very strong, and over the past 10 years, not a single death has been recorded after its bite.
If you are bitten by a steppe viper, you should consult a doctor to immobilize the affected limb, relieve pain, and monitor the condition.
Yellow-bellied Snake
This is the largest snake in Crimea ; it can reach a length of up to 2 meters. The body of the snake is covered with smooth scales, the back is brown or olive, the belly is bright - yellow or orange.
A characteristic sign is yellow spots above the eyes . The snake loves dense thickets, it moves well through bushes and trees, so it can often be found on grapevines.
The snake's bite is painful, however, its poison is not at all dangerous to humans.
Leopard snake
A very beautiful snake. Its length reaches 1.5 meters , the body is brown or gray with red or red spots, which are outlined in black (the recently fashionable “snake print” is used in haberdashery and on clothes). The leopard snake climbs branches well, but most often it is found in shelters - under snags, stones, and in piles of construction waste.
Of course, a snake can bite, but it is non-aggressive and completely safe . It must be said that the snake itself is in danger - people exterminate it to remove its beautiful skin, catch it to keep it at home, kill it “just in case.”
copperhead
widely distributed throughout the Crimea . It can be of different shades - from gold to brown. A characteristic feature is a pair of black stripes that run through the center of the snake's eye. There are several black vertical spots on the sides. The copperhead has teeth, but there are no poisonous glands or ducts.
These snakes love warmth very much, so they often bask on the stumps of felled trees and stones. The copperhead swims well, but does not really like water.
Water snake
The length of this snake is up to 1.6 meters . The head is oval, the muzzle is tapering, the pupil is round. The upper side of the body is olive, grayish or green-brown, there are spots of a darker shade, they are scattered throughout the body. There are V-shaped spots on the head. Olive or black water snakes without spots are sometimes found.
They live in the Crimean estuaries , where they hunt fish of the goby family.
The water snake is a non-aggressive snake, it tries to avoid meeting people, the venom is not poisonous to humans.
Yellow-bellied Snake
How dangerous
The yellow-bellied snake also lives in Crimea. It is known for its aggressive behavior - it can attack a person and bite him, but you should remember that the bite of this snake is not poisonous, and the wound from the bite heals quite quickly. Yellow-bellied snakes are among the largest European snakes. The average length of a snake is 2 meters, although many travelers have encountered snakes whose length is 2.5 meters or more. Male yellow-bellied snakes are longer than females.
What does it look like
Fast and aggressive
The yellow-bellied snake has a small muzzle, which seems to “grow” into the body without transitions. The shape of the muzzle is round, the eyes protrude slightly from their sockets. There are usually white-yellow circles around the eyes. The color of the upper body is yellow-brown, pinkish-brown, gray-yellow, and so on. Completely black individuals are very rare.
The Crimean karakurt is a small but dangerous inhabitant of the peninsula!
