Seaside snakes. On-board magazine of Vladivostok

Summer has come to Primorye. With frequent fogs on the coast in the beginning, with hot and clear days in the second half. In summer, I really want to be outside the city in the fresh air as often as possible, go to the islands, to the clear sea, to the wild taiga corners. And, of course, there you can still get the unexpected joy of meeting the inhabitants of the forest. Although at the same time there is a great chance to "get acquainted" with such ancient and mysterious animals as snakes.
People most often fear and dislike snakes. Whether this is connected with the Old Testament tempting serpent is not clear. Most likely, people are frightened by stories about terribly poisonous reptiles, the bite of which brings instant death.
But, fortunately, in Primorye there is practically no special dangerous species snake. There are 10 species of "reptiles" here, and finding another one (thin-tailed snake) is a big question. Three of them are poisonous. In the north of the region - this is the Sakhalin viper, in the south - two types of muzzles: stony (according to the new taxonomy - middle) and eastern (now - Ussuri).

How to recognize poisonous snakes

The Sakhalin viper lives only in the northern remote areas of the region, so the likelihood of meeting it is very small. But in the south of the region there is a great chance to meet with cottonmouths. Their main external differences from non-venomous snakes Primorye - vertical pupils, a triangular shape of the head and pits on the front of the muzzle (not without reason these reptiles belong to the pit-headed snakes). The closest relative of the muzzle is the rattlesnake, it lives in North America. Like her, at the moment of danger, the muzzle knocks with the tip of its tail on the ground, although, unlike it, it does not have a “rattle”. The muzzle belongs to ovoviviparous snakes: at the birth of kites, the leathery shell of the eggs is torn, and the cubs immediately crawl in different directions.
The eastern muzzle differs from the stony muzzle in smaller sizes, in the presence of paired round elliptical spots on the sides of the body, and in dark color - the upper side of the body is dirty-brown or brown of varying intensity, sometimes almost black. Eastern cottonmouths are found everywhere, both in the forest and in open spaces. The rocky muzzle has a more “juicy” color. On the body there are bright transverse stripes of irregular shape of different shades. Brown color. It can be found in the mountains covered with forests and on the rocks. So both "hardened" taiga dwellers and vacationers on the coast, where there are rocky exits to the sea, can see it.
Poisonous snakes are not as aggressive as popular rumor ascribes to them. They need poison to kill prey and for protection, and not for daily "assassination attempts" on people. It is necessary to follow certain rules when meeting with a snake in the forest. If the muzzle thinks it has gone unnoticed, it will lie still until you pass by. There are times when a snake does not react to a person, even being 5-10 cm from his leg. But if the snake considers that it has been noticed and is in danger, then it begins to “warn” about its presence with a hiss and frequent tapping of its tail, and takes an S-shape. Cottonmouth makes several false attacks, frightening a person, not intending to waste the poison in vain. Therefore, the easiest option is to bypass the snake side. She will not follow. If it is necessary to go to the place where it lies, it is enough to drive the snake away with a long twig, without approaching. Otherwise, the reptile will feel cornered and you will provoke an attack. In no case do not try to touch the snake with your hands or grab it - then it will certainly bite.

Don't put your finger in your mouth

In the world there are so-called conditionally poisonous snakes. A representative of this group of interesting reptiles lives in Primorye - the tiger snake. This is perhaps the most beautiful snake in Primorye. Usually it has a green color with transverse black and red stripes in the front of the body. There are individuals of gray-blue, black and brown color.
The tiger snake has two enlarged poisonous teeth in the depths of its mouth and nucho-dorsal glands under the skin in the front of the back. In danger, the tiger already, like a cobra, raises and slightly inflates upper part torso, turning to the enemy with the back of the head, where the glands with a poisonous secret are located. If a predator grabs the back of the snake with its teeth, it will get a severe burn due to the released caustic liquid. The usual bite of a snake with the front teeth is safe for humans. You can get severe poisoning only if you try and "stuff" tiger snake finger in the mouth deeper.

The biology of all snake species living in Primorsky Krai is similar. Most of them gather for group wintering along the scree on the slopes of the hills. Occasionally, snakes hibernate in rodent burrows, hollows, basements and cellars of abandoned houses.
All types of snakes leave their wintering grounds in late April - early May. For some time they are near the wintering places, then they spread. In early June, they accumulate in warm areas for mating. After that, the males go into the forest to "fatten", and the females stay in open places until the time of the birth of the offspring, that is, until August - September. There are viviparous species (red-backed snake), ovoviviparous (thyroid muzzle), and there are egg-laying species (snakes and snakes). The snakes leave for wintering in the second half of October.

Says amateur serpentologist Viktor Litvintsev.

Just the other day I returned from the Russian Island, - says Viktor Litvintsev. - And I caught 12 muzzles and 6 patterned snakes there in three days. Definitely, snakes this year are more active than ever.

In total, 9 species of snakes are found in Primorye, but only three of them are poisonous. Moreover, even after a bite of a muzzle or a viper, the risk of dying is minimal. But taking precautions won't hurt.

Poisonous snakes of Primorye

Non-poisonous snakes of Primorye

Especially dangerous places

Nadezhdinsky, Partizansky, Shkotovsky, Khasansky districts, Ussuriysk.

Where can you find snakes

In bushes, on stumps, under slate, under stones, in firewood, in hay.

Precautionary measures

- do not walk in the forest and on the beach barefoot;
- moving to dense forest, make as much noise as possible, tap in front of you with a long stick;
- do not cross a log or a trunk of a fallen tree on the move - a snake may turn out to be invisible to you;
- do not go without a flashlight at night - many snakes are especially active at night;
- do not arrange lodging for the night near trees with hollows, rotten stumps, cave entrances, piles of garbage.

How to tell if you've been bitten by a venomous snake

- sharp pain, two small wounds from the teeth are visible at the site of the bite;
- swelling at the site of the bite;
- after 15 - 20 minutes, dizziness, lethargy appear, headache, nausea, sometimes vomiting, shortness of breath, rapid pulse.

What to do after a snake bite?

- immobilize the bitten limb (put a splint on the leg, hang the hand on the scarf);
- Immediately after the bite, slightly squeeze the poison out of the wound.
- drink tavegil, diphenhydramine, suprastin;
- treat the bite with hydrogen peroxide, a weak solution of potassium permanganate or iodine;
- drink some vodka;
- see a doctor.

Toxicological department of the regional thousand-bed hospital. Tel. 32-56-44

There is no anti-snake serum in Primorsky Krai!

There is no need for it, - they told Komsomolskaya Pravda in the toxicology department of the regional thousand-bed hospital. - Serum can help with the bite of the Central Asian snake, which has a very strong poison. Our muzzles and vipers are less dangerous, therefore, the treatment of a bitten person costs conventional medicines and physiotherapy.
However, one can die from the bite of a seaside snake. True, cases are rare and occur most often due to allergic intolerance. snake venom. The last such case occurred three years ago, the muzzle was the culprit in the death of a person.

Where in Vladivostok they caught snakes

June 29. Near kindergarten"Cheburashka" (Kirov St.) Amur snake was caught.
August 15. Near the dormitory of the Far East State Technical University, an Amur snake was caught on Gogol.
8 September. In the area of ​​the dacha cooperative "Uchitel" (bus stop "Sputnik"), an eastern muzzle was caught.

June 7th. An Amur snake was caught on the territory of the Pacific Line school.
27th of June. In a hostel apartment on the street. Safonov caught the Amur snake.
July 28th. On the road near the house on the street. Amurskaya caught the Amur snake.
August 20th. In the bathroom of the apartment on the street. Nekrasovskaya caught a patterned snake.
16 of September. Patterned snake was caught on the territory of DVIMU (Avramenko street).

July 1. On the stairs at the entrance of the house on the street. Amur caught a tiger snake.
August 19. On the grating of the basement floor in the oncology dispensary on the street. Fokin caught the Amur snake.
18 October. On the loggia of the apartment in the house on the street. Nadibaidze caught the Amur snake.

2004 May 11th. On the shore of Cape Kungasny, the Ussuri muzzle was caught.
26 July. In an apartment in a house along the avenue of the "Red Banner" a Japanese grass snake was caught.
August 1-3. On the territory of the recreation centers "Priboy" and "Russky Bereg" on Russky Island, 12 muzzle snakes and 6 patterned snakes were caught.

Spring-summer is the period of activity of snakes. At this time they may represent real threat for people's lives. Recently, in Vladivostok, a snake crawled into an apartment. The uninvited guest was attacked and beheaded by a cat. By the way, warm weather forced some reptiles to leave their winter shelters. Therefore, on cold days, they sometimes look for places to bask.

Ugly Neighbors

In Primorye there is a man who is sometimes called to tame reptiles. Viktor Litvintsev is a serpentologist. He knows where snakes live in our region and how they behave. The specialist says that Vladivostok residents can meet a reptile in any part of the city. Viktor Yuryevich recalls that last year he received calls with reports of snakes near residential buildings from residents of Pologaya, Komandorskaya and Yeniseiskaya streets. In the summer, Vladivostok residents were frightened by a snake that was spotted near the city administration building. Eyewitnesses photographed a reptile crawling in the very center of the city. On average, about 300 calls are received per season, from April to October. Some people keep reptiles at home. You won't have time to blink, and the nimble snake already "pleases" the neighbor. Therefore, they need constant monitoring.

Snakes can crawl into an apartment from the basement, from the street. They can live on rocky hills, near garbage containers. They crawl into houses in search of food, warmth and water. leaving for emergency calls outside the city, I constantly deal with five types of snakes: two varieties of muzzle snakes, the Amur snake and the patterned snake, as well as the tiger snake. I want to say that the stony muzzle is the most dangerous snake in the country, except for the Dagestan viper. Bites are not fatal, but can cause great pain, as well as provoke extensive swelling and hematoma, Viktor Litvintsev explains.

Places of risk

Serpentologist says that seaside snakes They don't bite unless touched. But if, for example, you entered the habitat of a reptile, being in a dangerous proximity for a snake, then it will attack you. She perceives the person as a threat.

In Vladivostok, snakes can often be found on Okatova Square and adjacent streets, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bPervaya Rechka, Gornostai Bay, on Sedanka (Pionerskoye Reservoir), in the vicinity of the Bogatinsky Reservoir, as well as in Trudovoye-1 and in the area of ​​​​Coal station. Many snakes are found in all suburban areas of the region: from Nadezhdinskaya station to the villages of Kiparisovo and Razdolnoye, as well as in the Shkotovsky district and on the Peschanoy peninsula.

A resident of Vladivostok, Olga, for a long time remembered her trip to Russky Island for wild garlic. The girl recalls that when she reached for another stalk, a muzzle jumped out of the grass and bit her finger. From the forest, she went straight to the hospital. As a result, she spent 12 days in the hospital under droppers.

It's hard to believe that such a tiny snake - only twenty centimeters - can cause such pain, - says Olga.

The consequences of a bite can be more serious than a hospital one. At the site of the bite, the vessels and nerves are compressed, the blood supply is disturbed. If you do not seek medical help in time, you can earn a disability. Deaths in Primorye have not been recorded for about ten years. The last victim was a child who was resting in a children's camp. The snake bit him on the neck.

Serum against the venom of the muzzle is not produced, although these snakes are found everywhere in the Primorsky Territory. The bulk of the preparations are intended for more dangerous snakes, the poison of which acts on nervous system, is a cobra, gyurza and others. But in Primorye they are not.

HELP "KP"

The main rule - do not touch the snake, even if you had to kill a creeping reptile. She can bite already in death convulsions. When going out into nature, put on rubber boots, and tuck your pants into the tops. So you protect yourself from the bites of poisonous snakes. And take, of course, a small first aid kit. Look under your feet more often than save yourself from trouble. Just in case, arm yourself with a stick. Seeing a snake, do not try to step on it, it is better to go around or change direction.

Scientists of the Biological and Soil Institute of the Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences for the first time recorded on the territory national park"Land of the leopard" red-backed snake. This rare reptile, listed in several regional Red Books, is found in Russia only in the south of the Far East. This was reported by Primorskaya Gazeta with reference to the press service of the Land of the Leopard National Park.

In total, 10 species of snakes can be found in Primorsky Krai, of which only three are poisonous. Previously, scientists only assumed that the red-backed snake lives in the national park, but there was no reliable information. The experts managed to dispel all doubts about this during the scientific expedition to inventory the herpetofauna in the northern part of the "Land of the Leopard". A fairly large population of rare snakes was recorded here.

The red-backed snake is listed in several regional Red Books: Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, the Jewish Autonomous Region. Experts note that on the territory of Primorsky Krai it is a vulnerable species that may be threatened with extinction, for example, due to the use of pesticides and other poisons in the fields. Many snakes die under the wheels of cars in the spring and autumn, when they crawl out onto the road after a cool night to warm up. Also, people often kill these snakes, considering them poisonous. However, the red-backed snake poses absolutely no danger to humans. On the territory of the national park, this species of reptiles is under protection, which guarantees sustainable development of this population.

Now under the care of the "Land of the Leopard" is another Red Book species. national park became the second in Primorye specially protected natural area(SPNT), where these snakes are recorded reliably and not in a single copy. Previously, among the protected areas, a large population of the red-backed snake was noted only in the Far East Marine Reserve of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The biology, ecology and distribution of this snake on the territory of Primorsky Krai are poorly understood, so every find of this species is important. Interestingly, of all the snakes of the family already-shaped, found on Far East, only the red-backed snake has ovoviviparity. The cubs are born in translucent egg shells, which they tear apart a few minutes after birth and then spread, - said Irina Maslova, Candidate of Biological Sciences, head of the expedition, herpetologist at BPI FEB RAS.

Photo - Irina Maslova, herpetologist, BPI FEB RAS

REFERENCE

The red-backed snake is a medium-sized snake, with a body length of up to 78 cm. It has a brownish or olive-brown color on the upper body with four rows of dark spots in a light border that merge into narrow stripes. On the upper side of the head there is a specific pattern, consisting of four pairwise converging longitudinal dark stripes, turning in the back into two short trunk stripes along the sides of the neck. A narrow black stripe runs from the eye to the corner of the mouth, sometimes extending to the neck and front of the body. The belly is yellowish (reddish in underyearlings), with black transverse spots located in some areas in a checkerboard pattern. The somewhat elongated head is well separated from the body. The pupil is rounded. The snake is found in patches in deciduous forests, in meadow moist areas, in floodplain shrubs along the overgrown banks of stagnant and flowing reservoirs. In the taiga more often, the red-backed snake is not found. Leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle. Swims and dives well. The diet is dominated by aquatic animals: small fish, amphibians, invertebrates in young individuals. In the regional Red Books, the snake is assigned the third category, it has the status rare species on the periphery of the range.

With the advent of the warm season, more and more residents of Vladivostok and other cities in Primorye began to notice snakes in the yards of residential buildings and on playgrounds. In a panic, people immediately kill the animal, some simply retreat away, afraid of being bitten by a poisonous individual, while others call the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Few people know that mostly harmless reptiles crawl out to people to bask in the sun. And if the snake is not touched, it will go away on its own way. We live in a wonderful region that is rich in flora and fauna, and ordinary person it is difficult to remember the names of all plants and animals that can cause mortal harm to humans. But every Primorye is simply obliged to know the basic precautions, and while staying in nature - to be on the alert. IA UssurMedia talks about what to do if bitten by a snake and how to distinguish poisonous from harmless, IA PrimaMedia reports.

Catching snakes. Photo: from the personal archive of Zmeelova Vadim Shershov

The modern urban dweller is basically completely unadapted to life in nature. Often people cannot simply distinguish one type of tree from another. General illiteracy and lack of elementary curiosity separated people and nature forever. At the same time, it is important to know, for example, what kind of snakes are found in the Primorsky Territory, if you go on a picnic, otherwise it may end badly, - says founder of the project "Snakes are our friends", snake catcher Vadim Shershov.

There are a large number of snakes on the territory of our region, but a person should avoid three types: Sakhalin viper, Ussuri and stony muzzle. These reptiles pose a certain threat to human health, therefore, when going to the forest, it is better to take care of both the first-aid kit with antidote and knowledge about how they look dangerous snakes Primorsky region.

Sakhalin viper. Photo: from the personal archive of Zmeelova Vadim Shershov

Vipera sachalinensis )

In an individual of this species, the color of the body is dark gray or brownish-gray above, along the ridge there are a number of longitudinal dark spots, sometimes merging into a zigzag. On the upper side of the head, the X-shaped pattern is divided into two halves by a light spot. The underside of the body is dark gray with light spots. The throat and foreparts are white below. Body length up to 95 cm.

Ussuri muzzle. Photo: from the personal archive of Vadim Shershov

Ussuri muzzle (Gloydius ussuriensis )

This view is colored dark tones- the upper side of the body is brown or brown of varying intensity, sometimes almost black. On the sides of the body, starting from the head, there are a number of elliptical or rounded dark spots with a light middle and darker edges. On the middle of the back, rings of opposite sides often join. The belly is gray, with small white spots in front. The upper side of the head is patterned and has a characteristic dark postorbital stripe. The body length of adult snakes usually does not exceed 65 cm.

rocky muzzle (Gloydius saxatilis )

The coloration of the upper side of the body is dark red-brown or light reddish-brown. 28-45 dark gray, brown or black stripes run across the body; 9-13 stripes across the tail. The belly is light gray to almost black, speckled. Dark spots pass along the sides of the body, sometimes merging with transverse stripes into one broken line. The total body length reaches 80 cm.

How to tell a venomous snake from a non-venomous one

1. Look at the head. The most venomous snakes tend to have a triangular head.
2. Look into their eyes. Many venomous snakes have vertical eyelid slits, compared to the round pupils of non-venomous snakes.
3. Examine the bite mark if the snake attacked you. Two closely set punctures will mean that the snake has fangs, that is, it is poisonous. Ragged bites mean that the snake lacks fangs, which only venomous snakes have.

Safety regulations

If you go to nature and you have little experience in communicating with the outside world, then best advice in this situation - be vigilant and careful. Any unfamiliar snake should be considered obviously poisonous, but it is advisable to study the signs of harmless and poisonous snakes before going to nature, Vadim reminded.

1. When preparing for outdoor recreation, you need to remember about a possible meeting with a viper, so the calves of the legs must be protected.

2. Before you sit down to rest on an old stump or a fallen tree, you should look around, hit the stump.

3. You can not check with your hands the hollows of trees, voids under the roots, rodent burrows.

4. When you see a snake crawling in the grass (the inhabitants of Primorsky Krai can have a completely different, sometimes even exotic color), you should not shout and beat it with a stick. Snakes are afraid and avoid people, and if a chance meeting did occur, they should be allowed to crawl their way.

5. Avoid sudden movements that frighten the snake. You can not, defending yourself, put your hands forward, turn your back to the snake. If you have a stick, hold it in front of you towards the snake.

Non-poisonous thin-tailed snake. Photo: from the personal archive of Vadim Shershov

Do not run away from the snake you meet - there is a danger of stepping on another snake unnoticed by you. Remain calm in decisions, actions, gestures. Remember, the snake you can't see is dangerous, the snake you see poses the least threat, the snake specialist warns.

In addition, Vadim urges you to be careful when handling dead snakes, for some of them the poison retains its properties. for a long time. An accidental sting with a poisonous tooth can cause poisoning.

Non-poisonous patterned snake. Photo: from the personal archive of Vadim Shershov

First aid for a snake bite

Improper handling of a snakebite is often more detrimental to health than the bite itself.

What to do if you are bitten by a venomous snake?

1. The first step is to suck out the poison, these manipulations will be effective only for the first one and a half minutes after the bite.
2. Rinse the wound with plenty of clean water.
3. Take an antihistamine if you have one.
4. At the same time, it is desirable to visually remember what the snake looked like, because its belonging to certain kind most important for physicians who will prescribe an anti-snake serum to the victim.
5. If a limb (arm, leg) is bitten, then it should not be pulled: this manipulation does not localize the spread of the poison, but it may well lead to toxic asphyxia of the affected tissues.
6. Never panic! A rapid heartbeat accelerates the blood faster, thereby contributing to the spread of poison throughout the body.
7. Provide the bitten with absolute rest, warm drink.
8. Contact an ambulance.