Snakes, scientifically speaking, are a suborder of the class of reptiles of the scaly order. Snakes can be found on all continents of the Earth, except for cold Antarctica.

Among the snakes there poisonous species but most snakes are not venomous. Poisonous snakes use their venom primarily for hunting, and in self-defense, they use it only when absolutely necessary.

Many non-venomous snakes first they suffocate their prey (a snake and a boa constrictor, for example), and only swallow the prey whole.

Anaconda

The largest snake in nature is the anaconda.

Again, scientifically speaking, anacondas are a genus of snakes consisting of several species. And the largest snake species is the giant anaconda, the photo of which you see above.

The largest giant anaconda caught weighed 97.5 kg with a length of 5.2 meters. This snake was caught in Venezuela in the wild jungle. Residents of remote villages claim to have seen larger anacondas, but there is no evidence of the existence of larger specimens.

Like the other three anaconda species discussed below, the giant anaconda spends most of its time in the water. Anacondas prefer bodies of water with no current or with a weak current. They are found in lakes, oxbow lakes, quiet rivers of the Amazon and Orinoco basins.

Anaconda does not move far from water. Basically, anacondas crawl ashore to bask in the sun.

As we wrote earlier, anacondas belong to the subfamily of boas. Now let's talk about boas.

Boa

Boas are mostly large ovoviviparous snakes. The subfamily of boas is mainly known for the genus of common boas. The most typical representative of this genus is the common boa constrictor of the same name. Individuals of this species reach 5.5 meters in length.

Boa constrictors strangle their prey, wrapping rings around it.

Boas of this species can have an unusual color, given that they are very unpretentious in keeping, they are often kept in terrariums.

But in terrariums it is popular to keep another type of boas - dog-headed boas.

Dog-headed boas are beautiful red-orange when young and bright green when mature. The length of this type of boas does not exceed three meters.

Another representative of boas with a bright color is the rainbow boa.

This type of boa constrictor is also popular with those who like to keep snakes at home.

Cobra

Some of the most famous snakes are cobras. Science identifies 16 species of cobras, many of which are quite large.

Cobra has an amazing skill, she can raise her body to a vertical position. If the cobra is large, then in this position it can be on a par with a person.

Cobras are poisonous snakes. Their bite can be very dangerous to humans.

Cobras are heat-loving snakes, they never live in countries where snow falls in winter.

Vipers

Vipers are the inhabitants of our latitudes. Vipers are poisonous snakes, the mention of which causes fear in people.

Vipers can have a very varied coloration. Each subspecies can be very different in appearance from other subspecies, while all subspecies of vipers have a characteristic zigzag on the back.

Vipers are active during the day, they love the sun and spend a lot of time basking in the sun.

If the viper smells a person, she prefers to retire. These are completely non-conflict snakes, and if you do not touch them

Already

One of the most peaceful snakes of our nature is already. This snake is easily recognizable by the yellow spots on its head.

Already.

They are no longer poisonous and there is no reason to be afraid of them. The snakes live on the banks of calm water bodies, such as lakes and swamps, backwaters and oxbow lakes.

Already.

It is worth noting that there is a subspecies of snakes that lives far from water bodies.

Copperheads

Copperheads are small snakes that live on the edges of forests. Copperheads feed mainly on lizards, sometimes insects.

Copperhead.

Although copperheads have poisonous teeth, their size is too small and their mouth is not capable of grabbing a person. Except for the finger. But even in this case, their bite does not pose a serious danger.

Outwardly, the copperhead looks like a small viper. The rhombuses and zigzag patterns on the back of the copperfish are very similar to those of the viper.

Polozy

Snakes are a generalized name for several types of snakes.

In our area, the Caspian snake is known - it is a fairly large snake, it is not poisonous, but very aggressive.

Caspian snake.

It is because of the aggressiveness that they do not like snakes. Although they do not pose a danger to life, and when meeting with them, you can simply go on your way.

On the islands of Japan, you can find island snakes that differ unusual color. This species is a resident of the sea coast.

We will end our story with a description of one of the largest snakes on the planet - a python.

The python can reach a length of four meters, which is about a meter less than the anaconda, but still impressive.

Despite their large size, pythons are very agile and smart predators. Outwardly, they could be attributed to boas, but pythons are a separate genus of snakes.

Pythons are native to Asia and Australia, and can also be found in parts of Africa. Pythons always live near bodies of water, although their life may not be connected with water. There are species of pythons that spend most of their time in the crowns of trees.

cat snakes

Cat snakes are a genus of small snakes that are distant relatives already. The genus consists of 12 species that are distributed in Africa, southern Europe and southwestern Asia.

One species lives in Russia - the Caucasian cat snake. These snakes in Russia can only be found in Dagestan.

snakes: 1 - common blind snake (Typhlops vermicular ts); 2 - common snake (Natrix natrix), 3 - water snake (Natrix tessetata), 4 - Amur snake (Etaphe bchrencki), 5 - leopard snake (Etaphe situta), 6 - snake arrow (Psammophis lineolatus); 7 - sand efa (Echis carinatus); 8 - common boa, or boa (Constrictor constrictor), 9 - reticulated python (Python reticulatus); 10 - common anaconda (Eunectes murinus); 11 - Aesculapian snake (Etaphe longissima); 12 - spectacled snake (Naja naja); 13 - bicolor bonito (Pelamys platurus); 14 - gyurza (Vipera lebettna); 15 - common viper (Vipera berus); 16 - Caucasian viper (Vipera kaznakowi); 17 - common muzzle (Agkistrodon halys); 18 - rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), 19 - copperhead (Coronella austriaca).

common viper

The common viper (Viperidae berus) is the most common venomous snake in middle lane Russia. The common viper can be found in the forest and forest-steppe zones. It is more common in mixed forests, in glades, swamps, overgrown burnt areas, along the banks of rivers, lakes and streams. It is distributed in the European part of Russia, in Siberia and the Far East (up to Sakhalin), in the north it occurs up to 68 ° N. sh., and in the south - up to 40 ° N. sh. In the mountains, the viper is found at altitudes up to 3000 m above sea level. The population density of vipers is very uneven. In suitable places, vipers form large concentrations - snake foci, where their density can reach 90 individuals per 1 ha, but more often does not exceed 3-8 per 1 ha. After wintering, they usually appear on the surface of the earth in April - May. In summer, burrows of various animals, voids in rotten stumps and between stones, bushes, haystacks serve as shelters for vipers. Vipers can settle in abandoned buildings. The common viper is a relatively small snake up to 75 cm long; specimens up to 1 m long are found in the north. The body is relatively thick. Females are usually larger than males. The head is round-triangular, clearly delimited from the neck, on the upper part there are three large (frontal and two parietal) shields. The pupil is vertical. The tip of the muzzle is rounded, and the nasal opening is cut in the middle of the nasal shield. On the front edge of the upper jaw are large mobile tubular poisonous teeth.

The color of the body varies from gray to red-brown, with a characteristic dark zigzag line along the ridge and an x-shaped pattern on the head. Black forms are found in the north.

Some types of vipers: 1 - common, 2 - Caucasian, 3 - nosed,
4 - Asia Minor

Mating of vipers takes place from mid-May to early June. Viper is ovoviviparous. Offspring are born in August.

viper egg laying

Young vipers are born 17 cm long and are already poisonous. In the middle lane, vipers are active during the daytime. They like to bask in the sun, and they can do it right on the path, on stumps, bumps and stone slabs. They usually hunt at night. They feed mainly on small rodents, frogs, and insects. When meeting a person, the snake, as a rule, tries to hide.

When threatened, it takes active defense: hisses, makes threatening throws and the most dangerous bite-throws, which are most easily provoked by a moving object. Therefore, it is better not to make sudden movements during a direct meeting with a viper. You should not take the snake by the tail, as the possibility of a bite is not excluded.

Most often, meetings with vipers occur during the collection of wild berries, mushrooms, deadwood and during haymaking. To protect yourself from the bite of a viper, you need to be more attentive and careful. Going to places where a meeting with vipers is possible, you must have appropriate clothing and shoes. Protect against snake bites: high boots; thick woolen socks; tight, body-hugging trousers tucked into shoes. When picking mushrooms and berries, it is better to use a stick long enough to scratch it in the thickets near the place where they grow. If there is a snake in this place, it will either reveal itself or crawl away.

A stick put forward will not be superfluous even when moving quickly along the path. Vipers have a weak sense of smell and hearing, and the sudden appearance of a person can prevent her from hiding in a timely manner. If a snake is stepped on, it may bite. One must be especially careful before entering overgrown pits. You should not arrange an overnight stay near rotten stumps, trees with hollows, at the entrances to holes or caves, next to heaps of garbage or deadwood. On warm summer nights, the snakes are active and can crawl to the fire. When moving at night, it is necessary to illuminate the path with a lantern. The entrance to the tent should be tightly closed so that the snake cannot crawl in there. If the tent has not been tightly closed or if you are staying overnight without a tent, inspect the bed and especially the sleeping bag before using it. Remember that mice attract snakes. At the site of the bite of the viper, two point wounds from the poisonous teeth of the snake are visible.

The bite causes severe increasing pain. Already in the first minutes there is hyperemia of the bitten part of the body (excessive filling of blood vessels). Edema spreads upward from the bite site. When poison enters the bloodstream, a general reaction can develop immediately or half an hour or an hour after the bite. Most often this happens after 15-20 minutes (data from various literary sources). There is dizziness, lethargy, headache, nausea, sometimes vomiting, shortness of breath, rapid pulse. The venom of an ordinary viper, according to the mechanism of toxic action, is a poison of predominantly hemorrhagic (causing hemorrhage), blood clotting and local edematous-necrotic action. The closer the bite is to the head, the more dangerous it is. In spring, viper venom is more toxic than in summer.

AT southern regions Russia is inhabited by the steppe viper (Viperidae ursini), the Caucasian viper (Viperidae kaznakovi) and the common, or Pallas, muzzle (Agkistrodon halys).

steppe viper

steppe viper

Steppe viper (Vipera ursini) no more than 57 cm long, usually no more than 48 cm. Females are somewhat larger than males. From above, it is brownish-gray in color with a dark zigzag stripe along the ridge, sometimes broken into separate parts or spots. The sides of the body are covered with dark, unsharp spots. The lateral edges of her muzzle are pointed and somewhat raised above her top. Black steppe vipers are very rare. Distributed in the steppes and forest-steppes of Europe, Kazakhstan, Northwestern China, Turkey and Iran. It rises to the mountains up to 2500-2700 m above sea level. Inhabits different types steppes, sea coasts, shrubs, rocky mountain slopes, meadow floodplains, riverine forests, ravines, semi-deserts and deserts. Agricultural land is avoided and is preserved when plowing in bushes, beams, along roadsides, etc. For this reason, it has almost disappeared in Moldova and southern Ukraine. Apparently, the steppe viper spends the entire cold season in semi-stupor; on warm days it comes to the surface in winter. Leaving rodent burrows, cracks in the soil, voids between rocks and other shelters where vipers hibernate alone or not large groups, they spend most of the day in open, unshaded places, basking in the sun. In early or mid-April, steppe vipers mate. Males are very active at this time, they are looking for females and often get caught in the eye. Near one female, they often arrange mating games, like males of other snakes. After the mating period, the males feed intensively, and when they are satisfied, like the females, they lie in well-heated places for a long time. At the same time, pregnant females prefer more open areas, which is why they more often fall into the eyes of a person. In spring, steppe vipers feed on lizards and lizards, which make up 30 to 98% of their diet. By the end of spring, rodents and insects become their main prey, rarely frogs and spadefoot. Sometimes they catch chicks and eggs of birds, including climbing trees. Viper food is digested within 2-4 days. Steppe vipers begin to breed, apparently, at the age of 3, being from 31 to 35 cm long. The gestation period is from 90 to 130 days. From early August to mid-September, females give birth to 3 to 16 cubs, 12-18 cm long. Shortly after birth, vipers molt. Adults molt three times a year. Snakes molt at a temperature not lower than 15 degrees Celsius and relative humidity not less than 35%. In healthy snakes, shedding of old covers takes about 15 minutes. Exhausted and sick snakes molt for a long time, and this process is often fatal for them. The life expectancy of steppe vipers is about 7-8 years. They have many enemies: owls, black kite, steppe eagles, harriers, crows, storks, badgers, foxes, hedgehogs. A specific enemy of the steppe viper is a lizard snake, which prefers vipers to any other prey and easily copes with them, swallowing them whole, after paralyzing them with a bite. One lizard snake is capable of swallowing two or three vipers in an hour. When encountering a human, the steppe viper seeks to crawl away and throws its head towards the enemy only when the path to retreat is cut off.

Cases of deaths from the bite of the steppe viper are not reliably known. However, occasionally horses and small cattle die from the bites of this viper.

lizard snake

The total length reaches 180 cm. The muzzle is somewhat rounded in front. The upper surface of the body is dark olive in color, without spots. Large individuals have a well-defined dark stripe, bordered along the upper edge by a yellowish dotted line. Young snakes are brown, olive-brown or grayish above with brown, dark brown or almost black small spots arranged in the form of well-defined longitudinal stripes. The coloration of young snakes looks variegated due to the contrast of these dark spots with yellow or white edges of individual scales on the back and sides of the body. With age, the spots on the back and ventral surface of the body disappear, the color of snakes larger than 70 cm is monochromatic - grayish-olive or brownish-gray with a yellow belly without spots. In mature males, the color of the anterior part of the body, the top of the head is olive-green, and the rest of the body is bluish-gray. The ventral side is pale yellow, the longitudinal pattern or its fragments are preserved on the throat. Females retain dark longitudinal stripes on the sides of the body and a longitudinal pattern on the belly.

Caucasian viper

Caucasian viper (Vipera kaznakowi) very close to the steppe viper, but differs in a denser physique and a characteristic bright color. Its body is up to 60 cm long. The head is very wide with strongly protruding temporal swellings and a slightly upturned tip of the muzzle. A sharp neck interception separates the head from the thick torso. The main color of the body is yellowish-orange or brick-red, and a wide dark brown or black stripe zigzags along the ridge. Often this band is torn into a series of transversely elongated spots. The head is black on top with separate light spots. Sometimes there are individuals completely painted black. The Caucasian viper lives in Krasnodar Territory Russia, the South Caucasus and Northeast Turkey. It lives in river valleys, in mountain forests, in subalpine and alpine meadows, from the Black Sea coast to altitudes of 2500 m above sea level. This snake is most common in the upper forest zone and in subalpine meadows. Its diet consists mainly of mouse-like rodents. There are isolated cases of people dying from the bite of a Caucasian viper. Pets are often the victims of her bites.
Attention! If you see a snake in a menacing stance, it's best to back off. Keep in mind: the snake bites only in case of protection.

When bitten by a viper, severe and prolonged pain appears, a large swelling at the site of the bite, which quickly spreads to a significant surface of the body, pronounced subcutaneous hemorrhages, drowsiness, fainting, sometimes excitement and convulsions. Death can occur in half an hour, but sometimes much later (in a day or more) with collapse and respiratory arrest.

Common muzzle

Cottonmouths are representatives of pit snakes, which, in addition to the senses common to most terrestrial vertebral organs, also have specialized bodies capturing thermal radiation.

In addition, unlike vipers, their head is covered with large shields, which explains their name. Like vipers, muzzle venom acts primarily on the blood and the hematopoietic system. However, it also contains neurotoxins that affect nervous system and cause paralysis of the respiratory center. Therefore, the bite of the muzzle (as well as other pit vipers) causes a double reaction in the victims - damage to both the nervous and circulatory systems. Like vipers, muzzles have backward-curving "folding" poisonous teeth.

His head is wide, the neck interception is well defined. The tip of the muzzle is slightly upturned. Between the nostrils and the eye, a small depression is clearly visible - the opening of the thermosensitive organ.

On this basis, the muzzle is easy to distinguish from all other snakes.

Its coloration is dull, usually grayish or brownish. Against this background, transverse dark spots are located on the back and tail. A row of smaller dark spots stretches along the sides of the body. On the head, dark spots form a clear pattern. From the eye to the corner of the mouth, like many snake snakes, there is a dark stripe. The underside of the body is usually whitish or yellowish.

The range of the common muzzle

The common muzzle is very widespread. It is found in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Northern Iran, Northern China, Mongolia and Korea. In Russia, it inhabits the territory from the Lower Volga region through Southern Siberia to the Far East.

The habitats of these snakes are surprisingly diverse. It is impossible to say about the muzzle (as about other viper snakes) that it is a forest, steppe or mountain species. It can be found in forests, and in the steppes, and in semi-deserts, and in rocky or sandy deserts, and along the banks of rivers, and in swampy floodplain valleys, and in subalpine meadows. In the mountains, it rises to a height of up to 3000 meters.

Depending on the climatic conditions, weather, nature of the habitat, the common cottonmouth can be active during the day or at night, or only at dusk, or both during the day and at night.

What does the common muzzle eat?

He hunts for any animals of suitable sizes for him. First of all, these are various mammals, birds, lizards. But scorpions and spiders, insects (mainly orthoptera, the favorite food of the steppe viper), fish and frogs, as well as snakes, were also found in the stomachs of the muzzle. Such animals, which, like the common muzzle, master a variety of habitats, are active at different times of the day and in different weather, feed on all possible foods, are called ecologically plastic. Obviously, it is precisely because of this that the common muzzle is so widespread.

Reproduction of common muzzle

Like many other viper snakes, female muzzle bear live young, which are born in translucent shells and are immediately released from them. In the litter of one female, there are from 2 to 12 small muzzles, the body length of which is 15-20 centimeters. In coloring, they are no different from adults. For the first period of their life, the cubs feed on invertebrates, and then move on to larger prey.

The bite of the muzzle causes a serious illness in a person, which, however, almost always ends in a complete recovery in five to seven days.

The venom of the muzzle, like other viper snakes, is used in pharmacology.

Gyurza snake

Gyurza (Vipera lebetina) is a large snake that has a blunt snout and sharply protruding temporal corners of the head. From above, the head of the snake is covered with ribbed scales, and the supraorbital scales are small - this is a distinctive feature of the gyurza from other types of vipers. The thick and short body has a grayish-sandy or reddish-brown color with a number of dark brown or orange spots transversely elongated along the back. There are a number of smaller dark spots on the sides of the body. The head of the reptile is plain, without a pattern. Dark spots are located on the underside of the body, which is painted in light gray. The general background of coloration is very diverse, and individuals of the same color are not excluded. The color of the gyurza depends on its habitat and makes it possible to disguise itself, become invisible to its victim. Males and females have different body lengths (up to 1.6 m, up to 1.3 m, respectively).

Gyurza habitats

Gyurza is a fairly common type of snake. Their habitat is very extensive: from Central to North Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, the countries of the Middle East and North-West India. Various subspecies of gyurza are not rare on the islands of Crete, Milos, Kimolos, Polinos and Sifnos. Gyurza habitats on the territory of the post-Soviet states are Transcaucasia and Eastern Ciscaucasia, Southern Turkmenistan, Southern and Eastern Uzbekistan, Western Tajikistan and the extreme south of Kazakhstan.

Under the name "gyurza" this snake is known in the Caucasus and throughout Central Asia. In other countries, its name is the eastern or Levant viper. In addition, it is known by numerous local names (names) used by the population. Gyurza is characterized by fairly similar habitats throughout the vast range of its residence. As a rule, these are dry foothills, mountain gorges and slopes overgrown with sparse shrubs, cliffs in river valleys. In the mountains, this snake lives no higher than 1.5 km above sea level. It is not particularly afraid of people, therefore it does not avoid cultivated lands, the banks of irrigation canals, gardens and vineyards, and can also crawl into non-residential or residential premises on the outskirts of villages. Various quiet, secluded places serve as shelters - burrows of rodents and other medium-sized mammals, crevices in rocks, ravines in river cliffs or fences made of stones. Snakes are quite mobile, individuals living on the slopes of the mountains are most susceptible to seasonal migrations. Snakes hibernate in large groups in rock crevices, after wintering they spread around the surroundings.

Summer snake migration is associated with temperature regime- with the beginning of the summer heat, they descend to the foot of the rocks, closer to the water. In August - even lower, to the reservoirs, where they quench their thirst and appetite, hunting birds flying to the watering place.

In the heat, gyurzes love to swim, and also drink a lot of water. The spring release of the first gyurz occurs in March - April. At this time, they are very passive, wake up after hibernation, basking in the sun near their winter dwellings and do not immediately start hunting. During this period, the vipers are active during the day, and at night they climb into secluded places. With the onset of heat, the way of life of snakes also changes, they gradually become active at dusk, and then at night. AT summer months gyurza is active on the surface at sunset and in the first half of the night. With the onset of autumn coolness, they are diurnal animals again, until they leave for the winter in October.

Gyurzes are a large population of snakes. So, in a typical habitat you can meet up to 4 individuals per 1 ha, and in August-September near the water you can count up to 20 specimens per 1 ha. The young prey on small lizards - geckos and foot-and-mouth disease. In Central Asia, young vipers annoy the fast foot-and-mouth disease the most.

Gyurza nutrition

The menu of grown snakes includes small mammals (gray hamsters, voles, house mice). Adult individuals easily overcome and eat: gerbils, jerboas, rats, small hares, amphibians. Phalanxes, small turtles and their eggs are present in small numbers on their menu. Usually medium-sized animals make up a large proportion of the snake's diet.

Certain types of gyurza in spring and autumn quite often hunt for birds. At the same time, in some populations of gyurz that live in Uzbekistan on the Nuratau ridge, birds during the autumn migration make up more than 90% of their entire diet. The ways of hunting for birds by gyurz are the most diverse - from waiting for a feathered victim on bushes and trees to setting up an ambush near springs and lying in wait for birds at a watering place. Their victims are birds ranging in size from a small sparrow to a turtledove, but mostly passerines.

The tactics of snakes living in vineyards are somewhat different. In autumn, snakes crawl onto vines and hide, hiding near a bunch of ripe berries. Sparrow flocks that fly for grapes fall into gyurze. The snake seizes the bird with lightning speed and does not let it out of its mouth, so that the victim does not escape, and it does not have to climb down to the ground. After 1 minute, the poison paralyzes the bird, and the snake immediately swallows it and guards the next careless victim.

Reproduction of gyurza

April-May is the mating season for gyurz. In early autumn, kites are born. However, they appear in different ways. In most of the territory of their residence, live cubs (live birth) are born at the Gyurza, and in Central Asia, she lays eggs. Their incubation period is up to 40 days. The laid eggs are covered with a thin, translucent shell, the embryos are quite developed. A thin shell is needed so that it is easier for grown-up babies to get out and get enough oxygen. Having made a small hole in the egg shell before leaving, the snakes are in no hurry to leave their shelter for more than a day.

The cubs hatched from the eggs are 23-24 cm long and weigh 10-14 g. The total number of eggs in the clutch or newborn snakes is 15-20 pieces. However, there are exceptions, a case was recorded when one large female viper in captivity laid 43 eggs.

Gyurza behavior

The appearance of the gyurza - its thick and curvy body, can mislead an ignorant person, suggesting that she is slow and clumsy. In fact, this is a very dexterous and intelligent creature: it climbs the branches perfectly, on the ground it is capable of quick and unexpected movements, jumping, seeing danger, quickly crawls away and hides. If she creates an obstacle that threatens the situation, then the gyurza begins to hiss loudly and menacingly and make a sharp throw with her whole body towards the enemy. Large snakes make these throws-jumps for the entire length of their body, so the catcher is forced to react quickly by jumping to the side. Gyurza has an unusually magnificent powerful and muscular body. It is very difficult to hold a large gyurza in your hand. The snake is trying with all its might not only to wriggle out, but also to sting the offender (catcher), and sometimes even biting through its lower jaw.

Gyurza poison

The bite of a gyurza is very dangerous for humans. When bitten by a snake, about 50 mg of venom enters the body, which is very toxic and inferior in its toxicity only to cobra venom.

The composition of the gyurza poison includes enzymes that can destroy red blood cells and the walls of blood vessels, causing blood clotting.

Therefore, after a snake bite, numerous internal and subcutaneous hemorrhages appear, small vessels rupture under the action of the poison, a very strong edema appears in the bite area, large and medium-sized blood vessels become clogged, because. blood clotting occurs. All this is accompanied by severe pain, dizziness, vomiting. If appropriate measures are not taken, then the outcome is very unfavorable, up to death (up to 10% of cases). Timely and qualified assistance with the use of anti-venom serum avoids a fatal outcome from a bite of a gyurza. However, in medicine and pharmacology, gyurza poison is widely used.

Therefore, in former USSR created special serpent nurseries, where poison was extracted from snakes. These nurseries were located in Tashkent, Frunze and Termez. Gyurzas were kept there in large numbers. These snakes are hardy, live longer than other reptiles in captivity and give a relatively large amount of poison, mainly 0.1-0.2 g (in dry form) per capture (milking). This poison is used to obtain anti-venom serum and for the manufacture of various medicines. In terms of its properties, the venom of the gyurza is unique and surpasses the poisons of almost all viper snakes. Chemical composition and the properties are very similar to the venom of the chain viper. Scientists from the poison of the gyurza created the drug lebetox, which is necessary for people who are sick with hemophilia (a genetic disease - congenital blood incoagulability). This drug is used to treat hemophilia of various etiologies.

In addition, gyurza venom is used to diagnose various complex diseases, such as: malignant tumors on early stages development and leprosy. Pharmacology widely uses gyurza poison, it may contain drugs to reduce blood pressure, pain relief and treatment of bronchial asthma, rheumatic fever, sciatica, neuralgia. Due to the high value of gyurza venom, zoologists are studying the habitat of gyurza, identifying mass accumulations - snake foci. In such places, snake sanctuaries are created, snakes are protected here, their livestock serves as a replenishment for snake nurseries, where snake venom is obtained.

A cobra bite is less painful and causes less swelling. Disorders of speech and swallowing, blackout of consciousness, paralysis of motor muscles develop rapidly. Death can occur within 1-6 hours from paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

First aid for a snake bite.

When bitten by a snake, first of all try to suck the poison out of the wound as soon as possible, constantly spitting it out. This can be done by the victim himself or by someone nearby. For sucking poison, this is not dangerous. Even if he has wounds or abrasions in his mouth, nothing threatens him, since the effect of any poison depends on the dose per kilogram of body weight. And the amount of poison that can enter the body during suction is so small that it cannot cause harm.

Cutting the bite site for better discharge of poison is not recommended. This threatens with infection, often damage to the tendons, which can lead to disability.

After suctioning the poison, you need to limit the mobility of the victim. If the leg is bitten, it is necessary to bandage it to the other, if the hand, then fix it in a bent position. The victim is advised to drink more - water, tea, broth. It is better to refrain from coffee, as it has a stimulating effect.

You can wash the wound with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, put cold on the bite site.

Under no circumstances should a tourniquet be applied! Firstly, it does not prevent the penetration of the poison into the overlying tissues, and secondly, the tourniquet, especially with the bites of viper and viper, pinching the blood vessels, contributes to an even greater metabolic disorder in the tissues of the affected limb. As a result, the processes of necrosis and decay are intensified, which is fraught with severe complications.

Cauterization of the bite site is ineffective, because the length of the snake's poisonous teeth sometimes reaches more than a centimeter. The poison penetrates deep into the tissues, and superficial cauterization is not able to destroy it. And at the site of cauterization, a scab is formed, under which suppuration begins.

A person who has been bitten by a snake is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol. Alcohol is not an antidote, as some believe, but, on the contrary, by making it difficult to remove the poison from the body, it enhances its effect.

Remember the main thing - after a snake bite, a person must be taken to a medical facility as soon as possible, even if it seems that the danger has already passed.

RECIPES OF THE HOME DOCTOR
For snakebites in the lower part of the body, it is good to take hot baths up to the waist with a decoction of Veronica grass (any kind of this plant will do).

Veronica officinalis

For 3 days, apply fresh yeast to the snake bite site, changing it every hour. It is even better to alternate these applications with crushed garlic applications, changing one for another every hour.

Pick up nettles, grind with salt, tie to the wound with snake bites. Change twice a day.

Olive oil to insist on the flowers of St. John's wort.

St. John's wort

Drink 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day, at the same time drink 2 glasses of hot tea from St. John's wort flowers, adding a little vinegar to the tea. Apply 3-4 days for snake bites until swelling subsides.

Mix well 1 part of crushed garlic and 4 parts of vinegar, insist in a closed cabinet for 7 days. Lubricate painful places with scorpion bites, snakes - the remedy protects against many poisons.

common viper (Vipera berus) - a poisonous snake, a meeting with which can occur not only in the forest or in the field, but even on your own plot or on the porch of the house. This venomous snake, most active from May to September, is often confused with a harmless one.

Viper (photo from Wikipedia)

Description of the viper

Torso. The common viper usually has a body length of 60 - 80 cm. Less common are large snakes more than 1 meter long and weighing about 500 g. There are more such large vipers in the north than in the south. More often, their body length is about 75 cm. Males are smaller than females. They weigh only 150 - 200 g. The color of the body is very different. These are all kinds of shades of brown, brown, orange, yellow, purple, blue, green, pink and even red. More common are gray and brown vipers with a zigzag stripe along the back. Males are more modestly colored than females.

The black stripe that stretches along the back of the viper is the "calling card" of the snake. Usually it is zigzag, less often - with aligned edges, even more rarely - with small transverse stripes.

It is worth mentioning the pure black color of the body of the common viper. Males are usually distinguished by small white spots on the upper lips and a white (or yellowish) coloration of the underside of the tail. Spots of black females are pink or reddish. Black-skinned snakes may have a bright orange zigzag. Or be pure black.

The most rare coloration of the skin have "burnt" snakes. Often such vipers are colored asymmetrically. For example, one half of the body (left or right) is colored, motley, and the other is black.

An interesting description of the coloring of the viper, which is given by the famous snake-catcher:

In Belarus, we came across vipers of eight color options:
1. Light gray snakes with a sharp black zigzag pattern on the back;
2. Dark gray snakes with a pattern marked with light stripes;
3. Brown snakes with a black pattern;
4. Brown snakes with a red pattern;
5. Cherry red snakes with brown pattern;
6. Red snakes with a pale red pattern;
7. Brown snakes solid tone, no pattern;
8. Black snakes without a single light spot.
The pattern on the back of the snakes also had several options:
the most common were snakes with a characteristic zigzag, sharply outlined pattern, but we also caught snakes with an even dark stripe along the ridge, without any hint of a zigzag. There were also specimens in which, instead of a zigzag, the pattern was in the form of separate spots or narrow dashes (A.D. Nedyalkov “The Naturalist in Search”).

Head. You can notice the narrowing and compression from the sides between the head and the body of the viper. A distinct "X"-like pattern often adorns the rather flat (back) and rounded (front) head of a snake. The pupils of the eyes are slit-like. In bright sunlight, the oblique longitudinal slit shrinks into one line, and expands in the dark.

Non-poisonous snakes, for example, snakes, snakes and some others, see well during the day and quickly pursue frogs on land, and catch fish in the water.
Our poisonous snakes: ordinary vipers, muzzle, viper and others, whose eyes are distinguished by a slit-like rather than a round pupil, hunt not during the day, but at night. During the day, they bask in the sun and seem lazy, apathetic.
Two black vipers lived on my pulpit in a glass terrarium on the second floor window.
One summer I noticed that both vipers were interested in something; they sat up and looked out the window, slowly turning their heads. Looking closely, I saw a cat crouching in the sun in the grass 100 meters from our building. The cat stood out from time to time against the background of greenery with white spots. The snakes followed her for a long time, and when she disappeared from view, the vipers tried to look where the cat had gone.
I was very surprised at how far these night snakes were seen during the day (P.A. Manteuffel “Notes of a Naturalist”).

A pair of teeth (about 4 mm high) that conduct poison is located on the upper jaw of the snake, more precisely, in its front part.

Thrown aside with a stick, she opened her mouth and bit the stick, along which droplets of poison flowed from two large, mobile, empty front teeth (P.A. Manteuffel “Notes of a Naturalist”).

Serpents. The eggs, from which tiny snakes hatch, remain on the mother's body until the process of forming full-fledged offspring is completed in them. Embryos (they can be from 5 to 12 pieces, less often - up to 20 pieces) feed on egg yolk and snake blood. The laid eggs immediately “come to life”: the kites (brownish with a dark brown zigzag, 16.5 cm long) are quickly released from the shells and crawl into different sides. They have yet to grow, changing and shedding more unnecessary skin, or “creeps out”. During the first year of their life, a change of outfit occurs up to 7 times. By the age of three, vipers become sexually mature.

A disturbed viper hisses. She instantly falls into a state of rage and attacks even stationary objects: branches, sticks, glass, etc.

Where do vipers live?

The common viper inhabits the entire forest and taiga zone. It is found in the north (near Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, in Central Yakutia, etc.); in the east (Sakhalin, Primorye, Amur Region, etc.). The common viper is well known in many countries. There are more chances to meet a snake in wet swampy places, in meadows and clearings with tall grass, in clearings, in raspberry thickets, on the banks of rivers (lakes), in haystacks, on burned areas overgrown with grass and in abandoned gardens. Vipers are often seen while picking mushrooms and berries. These snakes are also found in mountainous areas (among stones and rocks) at an altitude of up to 3000 meters above sea level.

During the day, especially in the heat, vipers lie motionless, basking in the sun. To do this, they choose paths, stumps or dusty roads. Cloudy weather they like less. This time the snake waits in shelter. The peak of activity of the viper falls at night, when it hunts rodents, amphibians, birds and eats their eggs. The habitual food of vipers is frogs and mice-voles.

The number of the common viper in some regions (especially in the European part) is declining all the time. The common viper is included in the Red Book of the Moscow Region and a number of national lists. This happens for many reasons: trapping and killing snakes, changing the landscape (for example, reducing the area of ​​swamps) and environmental problems. Vipers massively leave places that are inhabited by people. In addition, vipers (especially their cubs) are readily eaten by badgers, foxes, wolves and martens. The worst enemies of vipers are hedgehogs. Birds also destroy a large number of vipers. Herons, storks, crows, owls and even ducks feast on them. More often, vipers suffer from birds.

In addition to vipers, snakes were also found near the ditches. They say that snakes are at enmity with vipers and kill them. I have seen more than once how snakes and vipers lie side by side and calmly bask in the sun. And I never saw them fight. I met vipers fighting among themselves. Once I was walking through a meadow and noticed that someone was stirring the grass near the ditch. Came closer. I see: two vipers are busy. One holds the frog by the head, the other holds the same frog by the side. What would have ended their struggle - I do not know. I did not wait for the end of the struggle - I put both of them in a bag (A.D. Nedyalkov "The Naturalist in Search").

An interesting fact is that each viper tends to have its own territory (with a radius of 60 - 100 meters in diameter). However, there are also snake pockets, in which there are a huge number of snakes in a relatively small area. The common viper is an excellent swimmer. She uses her skill to cross to the other side of a river or lake in search of suitable places to live. Approximately at the end of September, vipers begin to move in search of wintering grounds. Since ancient times, these days were called "Shift", when "snakes gather for the winter." Vipers hibernate (often in groups) in the burrows of medium-sized animals, under the roots of old rotten stumps, in deep cracks, etc. During this cold period, they fall into a state of torpor.

Common viper bite

They say that often vipers do not crawl away when a person appears. Perhaps this happens for the following reason: vipers have practically no hearing, but they have the ability to perceive any vibrations with the entire surface of the body. If the soil is soft (for example, peaty), then the snake does not pick up the vibrations of the soil of a moving person. As soon as a person is in front of a viper, she perceives his sudden appearance as a threat and immediately attacks. It is this pattern of snake behavior that makes it possible to explain many cases of viper attacks on people.

The bite of a common viper is unlikely to add health to a person. First of all, it is very painful. Usually a person bitten by a viper recovers. It is believed that the viper is not able to bite through shoes and tight jeans. Some experts say that the common viper is cautious, it avoids people, does not let them get closer than a meter. Others talk about the aggressiveness of this animal, biting at the first opportunity. However, everyone, especially experienced snake catchers and zoologists, warn people: it is necessary to avoid meeting with this poisonous snake in the places where it is found. And, of course, you should not rely on the "consciousness" of vipers. The number of annual recorded cases of bites of people by vipers is several thousand.

The bite of a common viper is considered very dangerous, but not fatal. These are severe edema, tissue necrosis, shock, dizziness, headache, severe weakness, etc. Blood begins to clot in the vessels. There may be changes in the tissues of the liver and kidneys. All this leads to severe complications. Especially with bites to the head or neck. Experienced Zmeelov A.D. Nedyalkov describes the condition of the guy who was bitten in the neck by the “bastard”:

We carefully turned the victim. On the neck, at the very back of the head, a swelling swelled up. There was a thick swelling from her throat. The victim was breathing hoarsely, heavily. ... While I was injecting the tumor with serum, everything was prepared for departure. ... On the way, I did not take my hand off the pulse of the victim. At first, the heart worked hard, but without interruption; when we were already somewhere in the middle of the road, the pulse became frantic. The guy fought. He gasped for air with his mouth wide open. His throat was no longer wheezing, but hissing. He gasped. We lifted him up and turned him so that the oncoming air hit him in the face. The guy felt a little better, but we didn't know how long this improvement would last.
The foreman "squeezed" everything he could out of the engine. The hour and a half we drove felt like an eternity. I thought we weren't getting the guy alive. The paramedic girl was crying softly. ... Then a stretcher was carried into the boat, and the ambulance drove up to the pier itself, the driver opened the rear doors. The stretcher with the victim was carried ashore and carefully pushed into the cab of the car. The doctor approached me: “Thank you for the serum. It would be really bad without her. Now the patient's situation is serious, but not hopeless ”(A.D. Nedyalkov“ The Naturalist in Search ”).

In some situations, geologists, tourists, hunters, snake catchers and many other people do not have the opportunity to seek help from doctors. They should have serum with them. When bitten by a viper, you need to fractionally (subcutaneously) inject Anti-Viper serum or its equivalent. The therapeutic dose is 150 AU. To prevent an allergic reaction ( anaphylactic shock), it is necessary to take 1-2 tablets of prednisolone or an antihistamine drug (suprastin, tavegil, etc.) before the introduction of serum. The article provides recommendations of professional rescuers.

When bitten, you must immediately call an ambulance, put the person bitten by a snake, give him more to drink. But not alcohol! It is often recommended to suck the poison out of the wound. Of course, if there is no damage to the oral cavity. But you can not cauterize the wound or apply a tourniquet. Zmeelov Nedyalkov also writes about this:

The woman rushed towards me.
“Be kind, doctor. Help! The viper's daughter was gone!"
I took the first aid kit and went to the boat. The girl was very pale and was crying. With her left hand, she supported her right, wrapped in a colorful scarf.
“Come on, show me where she bit you,” I said.
The girl carefully unwound her handkerchief. Middle finger right hand very swollen and reddened. It was tied at the base with twine. The twine cut deep into the body and, obviously, caused the girl severe pain.
“Have you been overdrawn for a long time?”
“Yes, it’s already two hours,” the man replied.
It was necessary to immediately remove the constriction, but it was impossible to untie the twine. I took out a knife and cut the constriction. The girl screamed.
“Why are you like this? the woman screamed. “And if the poison goes further?”
“It won’t work,” I answered briefly, and first I pricked my finger with novocaine, and then injected the serum. Very soon novocaine relieved the pain, and the girl stopped crying (A.D. Nedyalkov "The Naturalist in Search").

In the hospital, to which the snake-catcher accompanied the girl, they said that people who suffered from vipers (and there were many such people during the hay season) stay in the hospital for ten days, and sometimes for a whole month. No deaths were recorded.

© Site, 2012-2019. Copying texts and photos from the site podmoskоvje.com is prohibited. All rights reserved.

(function(w, d, n, s, t) ( w[n] = w[n] || ; w[n].push(function() ( Ya.Context.AdvManager.render(( blockId: "R-A -143469-1", renderTo: "yandex_rtb_R-A-143469-1", async: true )); )); t = d.getElementsByTagName("script"); s = d.createElement("script"); s .type = "text/javascript"; s.src = "//an.yandex.ru/system/context.js"; s.async = true; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); ))(this , this.document, "yandexContextAsyncCallbacks");

And even to the north), or in the mountains up to 2600 m above sea level.

Encyclopedic YouTube

1 / 3

✪ WHAT TO DO WHEN A POISONED SNAKE BITES

✪ Dangers on the lot - Viper! The difference between snake and viper.

✪ Catching a "chess viper"

Subtitles

Description

A relatively small snake, whose length, including the tail, usually does not exceed 65 cm. The largest specimens are found in the northern part of the range: for example, snakes over 90 cm long were recorded on the Scandinavian Peninsula. In France and Great Britain, the largest individuals reached a length of 80-87 cm. Females are somewhat larger than males. The weight of an adult viper varies from 50 to 180 g.

The large flattened head with a rounded muzzle is distinctly separated from the body by a short neck. Three large shields stand out in the upper part of the head, one of which - the frontal - has an almost rectangular shape, elongated along the body and is located in the space between the eyes, the remaining two - parietal - right behind it. Sometimes another small shield is developed between the frontal and parietal shields. The nasal opening is cut in the lower part of the nasal shield. The vertical pupil, along with the overhanging supraorbital shields, give the snake an evil look, although they have nothing to do with the manifestation of emotions. The apical shield is not divided. There are usually 21 scales around the middle of the body. Abdominal scales in males 132-150, in females 132-158. Caudal scales in males 32-46, in females 23-38 pairs.

The coloration is extremely variable - the main background can be gray, yellowish-brown, brown or reddish with a copper tint. In some areas, up to 50% of the population are melanistic black vipers. In most individuals, a contrasting zigzag pattern is developed on the back along the ridge. The belly is gray, grayish-brown or black, sometimes with white spots. The tip of the tail is colored yellow, orange or red. In juveniles, the back is often copper-brown with a zigzag stripe.

Spreading

The common viper is distributed mosaically in the strip of forests of Eurasia from Great Britain, France and northern Italy in the west, to Sakhalin and the Korean Peninsula in the east. In France, the main habitat is within the Massif Central. In Europe, the southern border of the range passes through northern Italy, northern Albania, northern Greece and European part Turkey. AT Eastern Europe the viper sometimes penetrates the Arctic Circle - for example, it lives in the Lapland Reserve and on the shores of the Barents Sea. To the east - in Siberia and the Far East - distribution in many places is limited by the lack of suitable wintering burrows. The viper is found north on the Lena up to the 62nd parallel, in Western Siberia to the 64th parallel, to the east to the Trans-Baikal Territory. From the south, the range is limited to the steppe regions. The southeastern edge of the distribution area is located in Mongolia (Mongolian Altai), northwestern and northeastern China (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Jilin Province).

Lifestyle

Life expectancy can reach 15, and according to some data, even 30 years. However, observations in Sweden show that snakes rarely survive two or more three years reproduction, which, taking into account the achievement of puberty, gives an age limit of 5-7 years. The viper quickly adapts to any terrain, in the Swiss Alps it rises up to 2600 m above sea level. Habitats are more diverse in the northern and eastern parts of the range, where the snake often develops peat swamps, moorlands, clarified mixed forests, shores of various freshwater reservoirs, wet meadows, field edges, shelterbelts, dunes. In the south of Europe, biotopes are mostly limited to damp depressions in mountainous areas. Distributed unevenly, depending on the availability of places suitable for wintering. Saddled, as a rule, does not move further than 60-100 meters. The exception is forced migration to the wintering place, in this case the snakes can move up to a distance of 2-5 km. Wintering usually occurs from October-November to March-April (depending on the climate), in the north of the range it lasts up to 9 months, for which the snake chooses a depression in the ground (burrows, crevices, etc.) at a depth of up to 2 meters, where the temperature does not fall below +2… +4 °C. In the event of a shortage of such places, several hundred individuals may accumulate in one place, which crawl out to the surface in spring, which creates the impression of great crowding. Subsequently, the snakes crawl away.

In the summer, it sometimes basks in the sun, but mostly hides under old stumps, in crevices, etc. The snake is not aggressive and, when a person approaches, it tries to use its camouflage coloration as much as possible, or crawl away. Only in the event of an unexpected appearance of a person or with a provocation on his part, she can try to bite him. This cautious behavior is explained by the fact that it needs a lot of energy to reproduce the poison in conditions of changing temperatures.

reproduction

The mating season is in May, and offspring appear in August or September, depending on the climate. The viper is a viviparous - the development of eggs and hatching of cubs occurs in the womb. Usually up to 8-12 juveniles appear, depending on the length of the female. It happens that at the time of childbirth, the female wraps around a tree or a stump, leaving her tail in the air, “scattering” kites on the ground, which from the first moment begin an independent life. Juveniles are usually 15-20 cm long and are already poisonous. Many believe that only born individuals are more poisonous, but this is not true. The opinion that young individuals are more aggressive is also incorrect. As soon as they are born, snakes usually molt. In the future, molting of young and adults occurs 1-2 times a month. Before their first hibernation in October-November, they never eat, because before hibernation they must digest all the food they eat in order to avoid metabolic problems.

Poison

According to the complex of components, the poison of the common viper is similar to the poisons of other European and tropical species of vipers. It consists of high-molecular proteases of hemorrhagic, hemocoagulating and necrotizing action, peptide hydrolases, hyaluronidases and phospholipases, which at the time of the bite through the lymph nodes enter the circulatory system.

For humans, the bite of an ordinary viper is considered potentially dangerous, but it rarely leads to lethal outcome. For example, in the UK, only 14 deaths were recorded between 1876 and 2005, the last of which occurred in 1975 (a five-year-old child died from a bite). About 70% of those bitten either do not experience any symptoms at all, or feel a burning pain directly in the area of ​​​​the bite. Often, redness and swelling develop around the wound - hemorrhagic edema. With a more severe degree of intoxication, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, blanching of the skin, increased sweating, chills, tachycardia are possible within 15-30 minutes. Finally, with particularly hypersensitivity, loss of consciousness, swelling of the face, a significant drop in blood pressure, heavy bleeding (DIC), kidney failure, convulsive or coma can occur. In the vast majority of cases, the effects of a bite disappear after 2-4 days, but can stretch for a longer period up to a year. In particular, improper self-treatment can lead to complications.

As first aid for a bite, doctors recommend calming down, applying a pressure bandage (but not a tourniquet), reducing the load on the limb up to immobilization, and providing plenty of fluids. Opinions on the benefits of suctioning the poison from the wound are divided: some experts believe that with this procedure, up to 30-50% of the entire poison can be removed within 10-15 minutes, the other considers it harmful, since bacterial flora can enter the blood along with saliva, causing purulent inflammation. Of the wrong and erroneous, but still occurring methods of treatment, there are transverse incisions at the site of the bite, cauterization, applying a tourniquet, and snowing.

Enemies

The greatest danger to an ordinary viper is a person, primarily his economic activity aimed at deforestation and other changes in natural landscapes. In Europe, cases of deliberate extermination and catching of vipers for the sake of selling for keeping in private terrariums are also not uncommon. In Romania, illegal trapping of snakes for the purpose of collecting venom is practiced. Among forest dwellers, the main enemies of vipers are hedgehogs, which are immune to snake venom. The hedgehog uses the following tactic when attacking: it bites the snake's body and immediately curls up into a ball, substituting its needles for a retaliatory strike. The procedure is repeated several times until the viper weakens and dies. Common foxes, badgers, ferrets, owls, serpent eagles, and rarely storks also prey on snakes.

Notes

1. Anan'eva N. B. , Borkin L. Ya., Darevsky I. S. , Orlov N. L. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Amphibians and reptiles. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of acad. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. yaz., 1988. - S. 363. - 10,500 copies. - ISBN 5-200-00232-X.
2. , p. 230.
3. , With. 329.
4. Olson, M.; Madsen, T.; Shine, R. Is sperm really so cheap? Costs of reproduction in male adders, Vipera berus // Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. - 1997. - T. 264, No. 1380. - pp. 455-459. - DOI:10.1098/rspb.1997.0065.
5. Strugariu, Alexandru; Zamfirescu, Stefan R.; Gherghel, Julian. First record of the adder ( Vipera berus berus) in Argeş County (Southern Romania) // Biharean Biologist. - 2009. - Vol. 3, No. 4. - S. 164.
6. , With. 274.
7. , With. 79.
8. Vipera berus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Viper common (indefinite) . Vertebrates of Russia.

Class - reptiles

Detachment - scaly

Family - Viper snakes

Genus/Species - Vipera berus. common viper

Basic data:

DIMENSIONS

Length: females - up to 80 cm, males - up to 60 cm, newborn cubs -16 cm.

BREEDING

Puberty: from 3-4 years old.

Mating period: April May.

Number of cubs: 5-20.

LIFE STYLE

Habits: common vipers (see photo), with the exception of the winter and mating season, are kept alone.

What does it eat: small rodents, lizards, frogs and chicks.

RELATED SPECIES

The following species of viper snakes live in Europe: steppe viper V. ursini, aspis viper V. aspis, snub-nosed viper V. latasti, Armenian viper V. xanthina, viper V. lebentina and nosy viper V. ammodytes.

The common viper belongs to the viper snake family and inhabits most of Europe. It easily adapts to different conditions. The viper lives in sand dunes and mountainous areas, on hills and in forests. Able to survive also in humid and cold climates.

WHAT DOES IT FEED

The common viper spends its entire life in a fairly small area. She knows her own area very well and can easily find prey on it. Near reservoirs, the viper catches frogs, lizards and water rats. However, its main prey are mice, shrews and other small rodents. With the help of a sensitive sense of smell and reacting to fluctuations in the air, the snake is looking for prey on the ground. Also, she preys on birds whose nests are located on the ground. The victim, approaching a convenient distance for attack, the viper attacks with lightning speed and injects poison into it. Often the victim manages to escape, but the snake catches up with her, because after a few minutes the poison begins to act.

The viper swallows its prey whole, starting from the head. Vipers also hunt lizards, among which more often viviparous and spindle. Young individuals feed on insects.

LIFESTYLE

The viper's lifestyle depends on the time of year. In spring and autumn, the reptile basks in the sun with pleasure, and in summer it remains in the shade from morning to evening. It prefers wooded areas, mostly mixed forests. In the mountains, the viper also inhabits shrubs of coniferous trees.

The viper is a nocturnal animal. During the day, she rests in various shelters. High in the mountains it often hunts during the day. An ordinary viper is not very dangerous, it attacks only if a person steps on it or inadvertently grabs it with a hand. At the beginning of winter, snakes hibernate. They spend the winter under rocks, rock ledges, or in the burrows of small mammals. When the air temperature drops, the snake burrows even deeper to shelter from the cold. Often several snakes share the same hiding place together.

BREEDING

During the mating season, males seek the favor of females and arrange fights for the right to mate. Two males stand opposite each other, raising the front of the body, then circle around and kick until one of them manages to pin the opponent to the ground. The winner tries to interest the female and attract her attention. Fertilized eggs, surrounded by a leathery membrane, develop in the body of the female for about 3 months. Shortly before birth, the cubs gnaw through the membrane of the egg while still in the mother's body. Newborn vipers in the amount of 5-20 individuals look like miniature copies of their parents, their length is 9-16 cm. The mass birth of vipers occurs in August.

From the first minute of their birth, they are completely independent, and yet they remain with their mother for several months. The cubs feed on worms and insects. In the northern and central parts of the range, females give birth in a year. By winter, young vipers, along with adults, hide in rotten stumps or under tree roots.

WATCHING THE ASPER

Vipers are found from March to October. In spring and autumn, you can watch them sunbathing. In areas where vipers are found, warning signs were previously hung out saying that in no case should you pick up snakes in your hands. The bite of a viper causes death only in exceptional cases, but always causes vomiting and diarrhea. Young children and people whose body is weakened are exposed to greatest danger if they get bitten. Especially dangerous is a bite to the head and blood vessels located close to the surface of the skin. The common viper is peaceful and non-aggressive. Seeing that she is being watched, she is always in a hurry to hide or, hiding, lies quietly.

GENERAL PROVISIONS. DESCRIPTION

The viper is a medium-sized snake, 60-80 cm long. It lives in forests among dense thickets. Hunts at night, sleeps in a hiding place during the day or basks in a quiet place. For the winter, it hides in rodent burrows, under stumps and snags. It feeds on small rodents and frogs. Young vipers are born at the end of summer - 5-14 (sometimes 18) each, 10-15 cm long. Babies and adult snakes have poisonous teeth, their bite is dangerous (sometimes there are even deaths). But the viper never attacks a person for no reason, on the contrary, she avoids meeting with him as best she can. Cases of bites happen solely due to human negligence. Therefore, you can’t walk barefoot in the forest, when looking for mushrooms, you should stir up the forest floor with a stick - then there will be no trouble from these reptiles. Snakes are useful in that they exterminate many rodents, their venom is used in medicine. Dried viper venom retains its qualities for at least 25 years.

• Viper can inflate chest. So, basking in the sun, she increases the surface of her body.
• A wintering place for vipers is found among the roots of trees. From year to year they use the same shelters.
• In the north, the winter shelter of the viper is underground at a depth of up to 2 m.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE VIPER

Cubs: 5-20 cubs are born, covered with thin skin, which they soon lose.

Female: somewhat larger than the male, the stripe on her brown body is slightly lighter.

Eyes: the vertical pupil notices any horizontal movement.

Male: a dark zigzag stripe can be seen on its gray, brown or reddish-brown body.

Ears: missing inner ear and eardrum. Snakes are deaf and only pick up vibrations in the air.

- Habitat of common viper

WHERE Dwells

These snakes are not found in Iceland, Ireland and most of Southern Europe. Distributed in Central and Northern Europe up to the Arctic and the Far East.

PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION

Due to the reduction of natural habitats, the common viper is threatened with extinction. hedgehog is her natural enemy, it is insensitive to viper venom.

The snake is poisonous. Common viper, snake reaction to movement. Full HD 1080p. Video (00:01:16)

When attacked, the snake curls up and draws its neck into the middle of the resulting flat circle, so that with each bite it quickly extends it by 15, at most 30 cm. Retraction of the neck is always a sign that the viper wants to bite, immediately after the bite, it again quickly retracts the neck preparing for the next attack. When the viper is angry, it puffs up so much that even the thinnest one seems fat. When attacking, the viper focuses primarily on lightning speed, and not on accuracy. When attacked, she often misses, but immediately makes another attempt until she achieves her goal. You have to be careful, because the viper never attacks silently.

Black viper. Viper bite. Video (00:02:42)

Viper, common viper. Video (00:04:06)

The viper is a poisonous snake. The viper has a zigzag pattern on its back. The Viper loves to bask in the sun. The viper is a dangerous snake. Stay away from vipers.

Common viper. Nikolsky's Viper. Poisonous snakes. Video (00:08:00)

I will catch a viper and tell you a lot of interesting facts about it

How not to confuse the snake with the viper? What to do if you are bitten by a viper. Video (00:03:41)

How is it different from a viper, the difference between a viper and a snake. How to distinguish a snake from a viper, the difference between a viper and a snake. How not to confuse the snake with the viper, the bite of the viper is help. Already a viper of differences and similarities. Viper and UZH Similarities and differences. WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE BITED BY A POISONOUS SNAKE. WHAT HAPPENS IF A SNAKE BITES
The best prevention against a bite is to avoid contact with the viper, so don't find out if the snake is venomous or not, first of all you need to distance yourself.
The eyes of the viper are bad, blurry, they see no further than two meters. Despite the fact that the snake is deaf, it perfectly feels the vibrations of the soil with its whole body, thereby feeling the approach of a person.
Snakes love hiding places in moss, stumps, etc. Already, the viper is not aggressive, and they attack only when they feel danger, in most cases they are ready to get away from the conflict. cold-blooded snakes, Sun rays are an important part of their digestion, pay attention to this to avoid unwanted encounters when they bask in open areas.

Common viper. Video (00:01:09)

The common viper (Vipera berus) is a snake of the viper family (Viperidae). The body length can reach 70 cm. In addition to Russia, it is distributed almost throughout Europe and in Northeast China. It lives in swamps, forest clearings, along river banks. Winters in underground burrows. It feeds mainly on mouse-like rodents and frogs, while young snakes feed on insects. Poisonous, but fatal cases are extremely rare.

Common Viper May 9, 2014 Video (00:01:57)

Vipers. Video (00:21:13)

Children's popular science film about vipers from the cycle \