The most dangerous snakes in Russia. Common viper - description, where it lives, features What are the features of the appearance of the common viper

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 - arrow snake (Psammophis lineolatus); 7 - sandy epha (Echis carinatus); 8 - common boa constrictor, 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 - viper (Vipera lebettna); 15 - common viper (Vipera berus); 16 — Caucasian viper (Vipera kaznakowi); 17 - common cottonmouth (Agkistrodon halys); 18 - rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), 19 - copperhead (Coronella austriaca).

Common viper

The common viper (Viperidae berus) is the most common venomous snake in central Russia. The common viper can be found in forest and forest-steppe zones. More common in mixed forests, in clearings, swamps, overgrown burnt areas, along the banks of rivers, lakes and streams. Distributed in the European part of Russia, in Siberia and the Far East (up to Sakhalin), in the north it is found up to 68° N. latitude, and in the south - up to 40° N. w. 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 hectare, but more often does not exceed 3-8 per 1 hectare. 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, and haystacks serve as shelters for vipers. Vipers can live in abandoned buildings. The common viper is a relatively small snake, up to 75 cm long; in the north there are specimens up to 1 m long. The body is relatively thick. Females are usually larger than males. The head is rounded-triangular, clearly demarcated from the neck, on the upper part there are three large (frontal and two parietal) scutes. 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 anterior edge of the upper jaw there are large movable 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 - long-nosed,
4 - Asia Minor

Mating of vipers occurs from mid-May to early June. The 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 zone, vipers are active in daytime. They love to bask in the sun, and can do this right on the path, on stumps, hummocks and stone slabs. They usually hunt at night. They feed mainly on small rodents, frogs, and insects. When meeting a person, a snake usually tries to hide.

When threatened, it takes an active defense: it hisses, makes threatening throws and the most dangerous throws-bites, which are most easily provoked by a moving object. Therefore, it is better not to make sudden movements when directly meeting a viper. You should not pick up a snake by the tail, as there is a possibility of a bite.

Most often, encounters with vipers occur during collection forest berries, mushrooms, dead wood and during haymaking. To protect yourself from a viper bite, you need to be more attentive and careful. When going to places where you can encounter vipers, you must have appropriate clothing and shoes. Protect against snake bites: high boots; thick wool socks; Tight trousers, not tight to the body, tucked into shoes. When picking mushrooms and berries, it is better to use a stick long enough to rake through the thickets near the place where they grow. If there is a snake in this area, it will either reveal itself or crawl away.

It would also be useful to have a stick pointed forward when moving quickly along the path. Vipers have a weak sense of smell and hearing, and the sudden appearance of a person can prevent it from escaping in a timely manner. If you step on a snake, it may bite. You must be especially careful before entering overgrown holes. You should not spend the night near rotten stumps, trees with hollows, at the entrances to burrows or caves, next to heaps of garbage or dead wood. On warm summer nights, snakes are active and may crawl towards the fire. When traveling at night, it is necessary to light the path with a flashlight. The entrance to the tent should be tightly closed so that the snake cannot crawl inside. If the tent has not been tightly closed or if you are camping without a tent, inspect the bed and especially the sleeping bag before using it. Remember that mice attract snakes. At the site of the viper bite, two punctate wounds from the snake’s poisonous teeth are visible.

The bite causes severe increasing pain. Already in the first minutes, hyperemia of the bitten part of the body occurs (excessive filling of blood vessels). Swelling 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). Dizziness, lethargy, headache, nausea, sometimes vomiting, shortness of breath, and rapid pulse appear. According to the mechanism of toxic action, the venom of the common viper 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.

The southern regions of Russia are inhabited by the steppe viper (Viperidae ursini), Caucasian viper (Viperidae kaznakovi) and the common or Pallas's viper (Agkistrodon halys).

Steppe viper

steppe viper

Steppe viper (Vipera ursini) no more than 57 cm long, usually no more than 48 cm. Females are slightly larger than males. On top 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, blurred spots. The lateral edges of her muzzle are pointed and slightly raised above her top part. Black steppe vipers are very rare. Distributed in the steppes and forest-steppes of Europe, Kazakhstan, Northwest China, Turkey and Iran. It rises into the mountains to 2500-2700 m above sea level. Inhabits various types of steppes, sea coasts, shrubs, rocky mountain slopes, meadow floodplains, riverine forests, ravines, semi-deserts and deserts. Agricultural land is avoided and preserved when plowed in bushes, gullies, 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-torpor; V warm days comes to the surface in winter. Having left rodent burrows, soil cracks, voids between stones and other shelters where vipers spend the winter alone or not in large groups, they spend most of the day in open, unshaded places, basking under sun rays. In early or mid-April, steppe vipers mate. Males are very active at this time, they search for females and often catch the eye. Around one female they often arrange mating games, like males of other snakes. After the mating period, males feed intensively, and when full, like females, they lie for a long time in well-warmed places. At the same time, pregnant females prefer more open areas, which is why they are more often visible to humans. In spring, steppe vipers feed on foot-and-mouth disease and lizards, which make up from 30 to 98% of their diet. By the end of spring, their main prey becomes rodents and insects, rarely frogs and spadefoot moths. Sometimes they catch bird chicks and eggs, including by climbing trees. Viper food is digested within 2-4 days. Steppe vipers apparently begin to reproduce at the age of 3, being from 31 to 35 cm in length. 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 moult. Adults molt three times a year. Snakes shed at temperatures not lower than 15 degrees Celsius and relative humidity not lower than 35%. In healthy snakes, shedding the old integument takes about 15 minutes. Exhausted and sick snakes shed for a long time, and this process often turns out to be disastrous for them. The lifespan of steppe vipers is about 7-8 years. They have many enemies: owls, black kites, steppe eagles, harriers, crows, storks, badgers, foxes, hedgehogs. The specific enemy of the steppe viper is the lizard snake, which prefers vipers to any other prey and easily deals with them, swallowing them whole, having previously paralyzed them with a bite. One lizard snake is capable of swallowing two or three vipers within an hour. When meeting a person, the steppe viper tends 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 livestock 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 on top with brown, dark brown or almost black small spots located in the form of well-defined longitudinal stripes. The coloring of young snakes looks variegated due to the contrast of these dark spots with the 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 uniform - grayish-olive or brownish-gray with a yellow, spotless belly. In sexually mature males, the color of the front part of the body, the top of the head is olive green, and the rest of the body surface 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 characteristic bright coloring. 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 body. The main color of the body is yellowish-orange or brick-red, and a wide dark brown or black stripe runs in a zigzag pattern along the ridge. Often this stripe is torn into a number of transversely elongated spots. The head is black on top with individual light spots. Sometimes there are individuals that are entirely black. The Caucasian viper lives in the Krasnodar region of Russia, the South Caucasus and North-Eastern Turkey. Lives in river valleys, mountain forests, 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 the Caucasian viper. The victims of its bites are often domestic animals.
Attention! If you see a snake adopting a threatening pose, it is best to retreat. Keep in mind: a snake only bites in defense.

When a viper bites, severe and prolonged pain occurs, large swelling at the site of the bite, which quickly spreads to a large surface of the body, severe subcutaneous hemorrhages, drowsiness, fainting, sometimes agitation and convulsions. Death can occur within half an hour, but sometimes much later (a day or more) with symptoms of collapse and respiratory arrest.

Common cottonmouth

Cottonmouths are representatives of pit snakes, which, in addition to the usual sense organs for most terrestrial vertebrates, also have specialized organs that detect thermal radiation.

In addition, unlike vipers, their heads are covered with large scutes, which explains their name. Like vipers, the venom of copperheads acts primarily on the blood and hematopoietic system. However, it also contains neurotoxins that affect nervous system and causing paralysis of the respiratory center. Therefore, the bite of copperhead snakes (as well as other pit snakes) causes a double reaction in victims - damage to both the nervous and circulatory systems. Like vipers, copperheads have backward-curved “folding” poisonous teeth.

His head is wide, the cervical interception is well defined. The tip of the muzzle is slightly upturned. Between the nostril and the eye, a small depression is clearly visible - the opening of the heat-sensitive organ.

By this feature, the copperhead can be easily distinguished from all other snakes.

Its color is dull, usually grayish or brownish. Against this background, there are transverse dark spots on the back and tail. A series 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.

Range of the common copperhead

The common copperhead is very widespread. It is found in the Caucasus, in 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 cannot be said about the copperhead (as about other viper snakes) that it is a forest, steppe or mountain species. It can be found in forests, steppes, semi-deserts, rocky or sandy deserts, and along river banks, and in swampy floodplain valleys, and in subalpine meadows. In the mountains it rises to a height of up to 3000 meters.

Depending on climatic conditions, weather, and the nature of its habitat, the common copperhead 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 copperhead eat?

He hunts any animal of suitable size for him. First of all, these are a variety of mammals, birds, and lizards. But in the stomachs of copperheads they also found scorpions and spiders, insects (mostly orthoptera - the favorite food of the steppe viper), fish and frogs, as well as snakes. Such animals, which, like the common copperhead, colonize a variety of habitats, are active in different time days and at different weather, feed on all possible foods and are called ecologically flexible. Obviously, it is precisely because of this that the common copperhead is so widespread.

Reproduction of common copperheads

Like many other viper snakes, female copperheads give birth to 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 copperheads, the body length of which is 15-20 centimeters. They are no different in color from adults. The first period of their lives, the cubs feed on invertebrate animals, and then move on to larger prey.

A stink bug bite causes a serious illness in a person, which, however, almost always ends with a complete recovery after five to seven days.

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

Viper snake

The viper (Vipera lebetina) is a large snake that has a blunt muzzle and sharply protruding temporal corners of the head. The top of the snake's head is covered with ribbed scales, and the supraorbital scales are small - this is a distinctive feature of the viper 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 extended along the back. On the sides of the body there is a number of smaller dark spots. The reptile's head is plain, without a pattern. On the underside of the body, which is painted light gray, there are dark spots. The general color background is very diverse; single-colored individuals are not excluded. The color of the viper depends on its habitat and makes it possible to camouflage itself and become invisible to its prey. Males and females have different body lengths (up to 1.6 m, up to 1.3 m, respectively).

Viper's habitats

The viper is a fairly common type of snake. Their habitat is very extensive: from Central to North Africa, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern countries and North-West India. Various subspecies of viper are not uncommon on the islands of Crete, Milos, Kimolos, Polinos and Sifnos. The viper's habitats on the territory of 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 (titles) used by the population. The viper is characterized by fairly similar habitats throughout its vast range of residence. As a rule, these are dry foothills, mountain gorges and slopes covered with sparse bushes, 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, so it does not avoid cultivated lands, banks of irrigation canals, gardens and vineyards, and can also crawl into non-residential or residential premises on the outskirts of villages. She shelters in various quiet, secluded places - burrows of rodents and other small mammals, crevices in rocks, gullies in river cliffs or fences made of stones. Snakes are quite mobile; individuals living on mountain slopes are most susceptible to seasonal migrations. Snakes overwinter in large groups in rock crevices; after wintering, they crawl around the surrounding area.

The summer migration of snakes is associated with temperature conditions - with the onset of the summer heat, they descend to the foot of the cliffs, closer to the water. In August - even lower, to reservoirs, where they quench their thirst and appetite by hunting birds flying to the watering hole.

In the heat, vipers love to swim and also drink large amounts of water. The spring emergence of the first vipers occurs in March - April. At this time they are very passive, waking up after hibernation, basking in the sun not far from their winter homes and do not immediately begin hunting. During this period, vipers are active during the day, and at night they climb into secluded places. With the onset of heat, the lifestyle of snakes also changes; they gradually become active at dusk and then at night. In the summer months, the viper is active on the surface at sunset and in the first half of the night. With the onset of autumn coolness, they are again diurnal animals, until they go to wintering in October.

Vipers are a large population of snakes. Thus, in a typical habitat you can find up to 4 individuals per 1 hectare, and in August-September near the water you can count up to 20 individuals per 1 hectare. The young prey on small lizards - geckos and foot-and-mouth disease. In Central Asia, young viper are the most annoying to fast foot-and-mouth disease.

Gyurza nutrition

The menu of grown-up snakes includes small mammals ( gray hamsters, voles, house mice). Adults easily overcome and eat: gerbils, jerboas, rats, small hares, and amphibians. In small quantities, their menu includes phalanges, small turtles and their eggs. Typically, small animals make up a large portion of a snake's diet.

Certain species of viper often hunt for birds in spring and autumn. At the same time, for some populations of vipers that live in Uzbekistan on the Nuratau ridge, birds during the autumn migration period make up more than 90% of their entire diet. The viper's methods of hunting birds are very diverse - from waiting for feathered prey on bushes and trees to ambushing birds near springs and lying in wait for birds at a watering hole. Their prey is 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 grape bushes and hide, hiding near a bunch of ripe berries. Flocks of sparrows that fly to pick up grape berries fall into the viper's viper. The snake grabs the bird with lightning speed and does not let it out of its mouth so that the victim does not escape and does not have to climb to the ground after it. After 1 minute, the poison paralyzes the bird, and the snake immediately swallows it and watches for the next careless victim.

Reproduction of the viper

April May - mating season at gyurz. Baby snakes are born in early autumn. However, they are born in different ways. On larger territory During its residence, the viper gives birth to live young (viviparity), and in Central Asia it lays eggs. Their incubation period is up to 40 days. The laid eggs are covered with a thin, translucent shell, and the embryos are quite developed. A thin shell is needed to make it easier for older babies to get out and get enough oxygen. Having made a small hole in the shell of the egg before exiting, 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.

Viper behavior

The appearance of the viper - its thick and short body - can mislead an ignorant person into thinking that it is slow and clumsy. In fact, this is a very dexterous and intelligent creature: it climbs branches very well, on the ground it is capable of fast and unexpected movements, jumps, and when it sees danger, it quickly crawls away and hides. If an obstacle is created that threatens the situation, the viper begins to hiss loudly and threateningly and makes a sharp throw with its whole body towards the enemy. Large snakes make these throwing-jumps over the entire length of their body, so the catcher is forced to quickly react by jumping to the side. Gyurza has an unusually magnificent powerful and muscular body. It is very difficult to hold a large viper in your hand. The snake tries with all its might not only to wriggle out, but also to sting the offender (catcher), sometimes even biting through its lower jaw.

Viper poison

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

Viper's venom contains enzymes that can destroy red blood cells and the walls of blood vessels and cause blood clotting.

Therefore, after a snake bite, numerous internal and subcutaneous hemorrhages appear, small vessels under the influence of the poison they rupture, very strong swelling 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, and vomiting. If appropriate measures are not taken, the outcome is very unfavorable, even death (up to 10% of cases). Timely and qualified assistance with the use of antidote serum allows you to avoid a fatal outcome from a viper's bite. However, viper venom is widely used in medicine and pharmacology.

Therefore, in the former USSR, special snake nurseries were created, where poison was extracted from snakes. These nurseries were located in Tashkent, Frunz and Termez. Viper were kept there in large quantities. These snakes are hardy, live longer than other reptiles in captivity and produce a relatively large amount of poison, mostly 0.1-0.2 g (dry) per bite (milking). This poison is used to obtain antidote serum and for the manufacture of various medicines. The venom of the viper is unique in its properties and surpasses the venoms of almost all viper snakes. The chemical composition and properties are very similar to the venom of the chain viper. Scientists have created the drug lebetox from the venom of the viper. necessary for people who have hemophilia (a genetic disease - congenital incoagulability of the blood). This drug is used to treat hemophilia of various etiologies.

In addition, viper venom is used to diagnose various complex diseases, such as: malignant tumors on early stages development and leprosy. Viper venom is widely used in pharmacology; it may contain drugs for lowering blood pressure, pain relief and treatment bronchial asthma, rheumatic arthritis, radiculitis, neuralgia. Due to the high value of the venom of the viper, zoologists are studying the habitat of the viper, identifying mass accumulations - snake foci. In such places, snake reserves are created, here snakes are protected, their population serves as a replenishment for snake nurseries, where snake venom is obtained.

A cobra bite is less painful and causes less swelling. Speech and swallowing disorders, blackouts, and paralysis of motor muscles quickly develop. 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 quickly as possible, constantly spitting it out. This can be done by the victim himself or by someone nearby. This is not dangerous for the one sucking out the poison. 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.

It is not recommended to cut the bite site to allow the venom to escape better. This can lead to infection and often damage to the tendons, which can lead to disability.

After sucking out the poison, you need to limit the victim’s mobility. If a leg is bitten, you need to bandage it to the other, if it’s an arm, then fix it in a bent position. The victim is advised to drink more - water, tea, broth. It is better to abstain from coffee, as it has a stimulating effect.

You can wash the wound with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate and apply cold water to the bite site.

Under no circumstances should a tourniquet be applied! Firstly, it does not prevent the penetration of poison into the overlying tissues, and secondly, the tourniquet, especially with viper and viper bites, pinching the vessels, contributes to even greater metabolic disorders in the tissues of the affected limb. As a result, the processes of necrosis and decay intensify, 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 tissue, and superficial cauterization is not able to destroy it. And at the site of cauterization, a scab forms, under which suppuration begins.

A person who has been bitten by a snake is strictly prohibited from drinking alcohol. Alcohol is not an antidote, as some believe, but, on the contrary, by making it difficult to remove 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 quickly as possible, even if it seems that the danger has already passed.

HOME DOCTOR'S RECIPES
For snake bites in the lower part of the body, it is good to take hot baths up to the waist with a decoction of Veronica herb (any type of this plant will do).

Veronica officinalis

For 3 days, apply fresh yeast to the site of the snake bite, changing it every hour. It’s even better to alternate these applications with applications of crushed garlic, changing one to the other every hour.

Pick nettles, crush them with salt, tie them to the wound of snake bites. Change twice a day.

Infuse olive oil with St. John's wort flowers.

St. John's wort

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

Mix 1 part crushed garlic and 4 parts vinegar well and leave in a closed cupboard for 7 days. Lubricate painful areas of scorpion and snake bites - the product protects against many poisons.

Classification

View: Common viper – Pelias berus

Genus: Real vipers - Vipera

Family: Viperaceae

Squad: Scaly

Class: Reptiles

Type: Chordata

Subtype: Vertebrates

Dimensions: The length of the snake is about 60 cm; weight – from 50 to 180 grams

Lifespan: up to 15 years

A dislike for snakes has been cultivated in human society throughout its history.

Some peoples deified snakes, others considered them fiends of hell, but all cultures are united in one thing - a fear of these legless creatures.

The northern countries are not very rich in representatives of the snake community, but the viper, unlike, for example, can be found almost everywhere, even in the Arctic Circle.

Habitat

Snakes are reptiles, so they prefer warm climate. This does not apply to the viper.

Its distribution area extends from Great Britain and France in the west to Sakhalin and Korea in the east.

In Europe, the viper can be found both in the high mountain forests of Italy and southern France, and on the Scandinavian Peninsula.

In the taiga of Eastern Siberia, it lives right up to the permafrost border.

In order for a viper to be included in the camera frame, a photo of the snake must be taken only in the forest. This species is adapted to life in the forest zone.

The southern border of its range in Russia and Ukraine coincides with the border of forest-steppes and steppes. To the south, the viper can only be seen in mountain forests.

The reason for this is the reptile’s adaptation to life in cool conditions.

Interesting! Of the many species of venomous snakes on Earth, the viper is the most common and numerous. The viper is the only poisonous snake that lives in the northern latitudes of Eurasia.

Characteristic

It is noteworthy that 5 species of this genus are included in the Red Book:

• Dinnika
• Kaznakova
• Nikolsky
• Stepnaya
• Gyurza

The common viper, which can be found in our forests, belongs to a separate genus Pelias berus.

It differs from the rest of its relatives in that its triangular head with a rounded muzzle is covered with three scutes: one frontal and two parietal.

Interesting! During the mating season, male vipers usually compete. This is how they gain the female's favor. Intertwining their bodies, the rivals rise and furiously hit each other with their heads until they fall from powerlessness. At the same time, they try to injure their opponent as little as possible. Sometimes such a duel lasts more than 30 minutes, but it always ends with one of the males giving way to the other and crawling away.

Appearance

The common viper is a small snake, up to 60 centimeters in length.

Males have a shorter and thinner body, but their tail is longer. Females are found even up to 90 centimeters in length.

This is what the viper snake looks like in the photo in the vast majority of cases.

The large growths hanging over the eyes, reminiscent of brow ridges, also add ferocity.

The snake's belly has gray shade, grayish-brown or black, sometimes with white spots.

Key Features

A peculiarity of all vipers is the presence of poisonous glands located in the sinuses behind the upper jaw.

The poison from them enters the bite site through two teeth that are empty inside. These teeth are attached to the rotating maxillary bone.

Usually these fangs are not visible, as they are folded and covered with a special film.

At the moment of attack, the reptile's jaw opens 180 degrees, and its fangs turn in the direction of the blow.

To photograph a snake bite, a photo of the viper must be taken at the moment of the attack. This is beyond the power of a human being, but with the help of slow-motion filming on a video camera it is possible.

Due to the fact that the bite of this snake is very dangerous and can even lead to death, you need to know the following measures precautions:

1. You should never touch a viper.
2. In the forest where these snakes live, you must wear high, durable boots and thick trousers.
3. Before entering thick grass or stepping into a hole, you need to make sure there are no reptiles there.
4. When picking mushrooms or berries, you first need to rummage around the grass around you with a stick. The snake will crawl away or hiss.
5. You should not move if a viper is crawling nearby. Most likely she will crawl past.

Another feature is the ability of the pupil to respond to light by changing its size.

This property is very rare for reptiles and is associated with a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle.

Interesting! Not every bite is accompanied by the release of poison; 25% of attacks occur “idly”. It is believed that the Egyptian queen Cleopatra was killed by an African horned viper.

Nutrition

Like all reptiles, the viper loves warmth and light. During the day, she prefers to bask in the sun and remains relatively slow.

However, at night, all its energy is directed to obtaining food.

At dusk, she sees perfectly not only in the visible range, but also using infrared (thermal) radiation from heated objects.

It hunts mammals and small birds. This is due to the ability to better see warm-blooded animals due to the peculiarities of vision.

Most of all she prefers mice and other small rodents like and. She catches them both on the ground and underground.

Reproduction

In order to survive the winter, vipers make shelter for themselves under snags or in abandoned animal holes.

Up to a dozen individuals can winter in such a nest. Reptiles hibernate.

At this time, their metabolism slows down so much that the body does not require food.

Snakes sleep restlessly and, at the slightest danger, are able to wake up and move, albeit slowly.

Upon emerging from hibernation, in April, their mating season begins. They mate when warm weather sets in.

It is at this time that males organize their endurance tournaments. The birth of vipers occurs after a 3-month pregnancy.

The female brings from 5 to 12 cubs. Their length does not exceed 18 centimeters.

Interesting! Interesting feature in viper reproduction is the presence combined nutrition embryos. They feed not only on substances from the egg yolk, but also by receiving nutrients from the mother’s circulatory system.

Many zoos around the world have terrariums that house vipers.

Similar conditions are created during maintenance, and even.

They prefer narrow and long compartments that are well illuminated by lamps. Daylight hours for them should be from 9 to 12 hours.

For southern species of snakes, including, it is necessary to maintain the air temperature within 22 - 28 ° C, and the common viper does not need this feature.

In addition, in winter, conditions for hibernation must be created. Adults must be fed laboratory mice.

Important!Please note that keeping and keeping a viper at home is strictly not recommended. She can escape from the terrarium and harm people.

Photo of viper snake: poisonous forest inhabitant

Description and habits of the viper. Photos and information about the appearance and character of the viper snake. Precautionary measures when meeting a viper. Features of the viper.

Vipers are poisonous snakes (body length 60-80 cm, less often 1 m). Their bite, although painful, is not fatal. Unlike snakes, vipers have a pair of poison-conducting teeth in the upper jaw, through which the poison, produced and accumulated in special glands, enters the wound.

The common viper has an almost black zigzag stripe along its back (above the ridge); There is a sharp interception between the head and body, and a pattern in the form of the Latin letter x (x) is noticeable on the head. The viper's pupils are slit-shaped (a nocturnal animal), whereas common snake they are round (a diurnal animal).

Common vipers are distributed throughout the forest zone. Typical habitats of vipers are swampy forests, clearings with good grass, clearings, overgrown burnt areas, banks of rivers and lakes, they are also found in vegetable gardens, less often - in meadows, under haystacks.

On a hot sunny day, vipers warm themselves by lying motionless somewhere on an old stump or even on a well-trodden forest path; on cloudy and cool days they hide in shelters. At night they become active and hunt rodents and other animals. Sometimes vipers move to areas of the forest richer in food, swimming across rivers and lakes along the way.

The viper lies in wait for its prey and bites it (for example, a forest mouse), and then releases it in order to later find the corpse along the trail, since under the influence of the poison that penetrates the wound, the bitten animal quickly dies.

Vipers do not lay eggs. They remain in her body until the young are formed in them. At the end of summer, the so-called ovoviviparity occurs, in which the baby snakes (8-12 pieces) immediately after laying the eggs are freed from their shells and crawl away. Newborn vipers reach a length of 16.5 cm. As they grow, they molt, leaving behind crawling out like snakes.

Going to independent life, young vipers feed mainly on various insects, and later, when they become adults, they hunt mouse-like rodents, small birds, lizards, and frogs. In turn, vipers become prey birds of prey and animals.

Vipers overwinter in the soil at a depth below the freezing layer, climbing into burrows of moles and rodents, passages of rotten roots of trees and shrubs, deep cracks in rocks and other shelters. Sometimes they accumulate in one place in small groups. Torpor in vipers during hibernation lasts in central Russia for about six months. Vipers live for about 10-15 years.

By exterminating insect pests and mouse-like rodents in the forest, vipers are beneficial, so they should not be killed. They are afraid of a person and crawl away when he approaches, however, when walking through the forest, one must be careful not to step on or disturb a lying viper.

The viper is a poisonous snake common in Russia. Many people are afraid of poisonous snakes, as their bite can be not only painful, but even fatal. In order to avoid danger from encountering such reptiles, you need to know where they are found, what they look like, and what to do if they are bitten.

Viper habitats

Vipers are usually called a whole family of snakes- vipers. It is numerous and consists of large quantity species. Snakes of this family live in Eurasia, and. There are now 292 species, included in the family.

The following species of vipers live in Russia:

• ordinary;
• steppe;
• Caucasian;
• black.

Because the most common of them is ordinary, then the message will be devoted mainly to this poisonous snake. Its habitat is very wide - all forest-steppe zones of Europe and Asia. It can be found in Siberia and the Far East; in the taiga, swamps, banks of lakes and rivers, forests and fields, right up to the Arctic Circle.

The common viper is very unpretentious. The main thing for her is the availability of food, opportunity to hide in tall grass or crevices. Loves to bask in the sun. The period of greatest activity of the snake is May-September. Vipers overwinter in burrows and other depressions, intertwining themselves into a large ball. Snakes hunt in dark time days. The main loot is:

• shrews;
• bird eggs from nests on the ground.

How is a viper different from a snake?

Very often the poisonous viper is confused with. In order not to harm such useful reptiles as the common grass snake, you should determine how they differ and how they are similar.

Similarities between viper and snake:

• Both the viper and the viper do not attack a person first; when they meet a person, they flee. If you step on them, they may bite. But the bite is no longer poisonous.
• They love bodies of water.
• Basking in the sun.

Differences:

• The main difference between the snake and all other snakes is the yellow or orange spots on the sides of the head. The viper does not have such spots.
• Vipers have a zigzag pattern on their backs. But on dark-colored snakes, the zigzag may not be noticeable.
• Snakes have a long tail, and in general they are longer than vipers. Snakes can reach sizes of up to 1.5 meters, vipers - 0.75-1 meter.
• Average size – 65 cm.
• Vipers have a more triangular head, covered with small scutes. Snakes have large scutes.
• The eyes are very different: the viper has a vertical pupil, the snake has a round pupil.

If you know and remember these differences, then the fear of all snakes will go away. After all, many of them are safe.

What to do if you are bitten by a viper?

The venom of the common viper is not fatal to humans, and a snake bite most often does not lead to the death of a person. But the consequences of a bite can be very unpleasant, and if there is an allergy and lack of timely assistance, death can even occur.

First of all, all outdoor recreationists, mushroom pickers, fishermen and summer residents need to take care of their protection, and when heading to places where there may be snakes, wear high boots and clothes made of thick fabric. When meeting a viper, you should not wave your arms or make sudden movements, but rather wait until it crawls away.

If, nevertheless, the viper bites, it is necessary, if possible, to limit the movement of the victim so that the poison does not spread throughout the body, apply a pressure bandage to the bitten limb, and take the bitten person to the hospital as soon as possible. It is important to give him plenty of fluids.

It is forbidden:

• cauterize the bitten area;
• cut it and bleed;
• apply tourniquets.

Question - Is it worth sucking the poison out of the wound?- is controversial. Not all doctors consider this procedure harmless and useful.

A viper bite can cause severe swelling, dizziness, headache, nausea, and chills.

In the hospital, a special serum is injected into the victim, and the effect of the snake’s venom is neutralized.

If this message was useful to you, I would be glad to see you

Poisonous snakes from the viper family have perfectly adapted to existing in any climatic conditions and landscapes. Vipers live in Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa, North and South America. Vipers do not live only in Australia, New Zealand and other islands of Oceania.

Basically, vipers lead sedentary image life, occasionally making forced migrations to winter habitats, which are several kilometers along the way. Vipers spend most of the summer basking in the sun or hiding in the heat under stones, uprooted tree roots and in rock crevices.

Where and how do viper snakes winter?

Wintering of vipers begins in October-November. For winter “apartments”, various burrows are selected, going into the ground to a depth of 2 m, where the air temperature remains above zero. At high population densities, several hundred individuals often accumulate in one burrow. The duration of wintering depends on the area: northern species Vipers hibernate for up to 9 months a year; inhabitants of temperate latitudes crawl to the surface in March-April and immediately begin to reproduce.

Viper venom - consequences of a snake bite and symptoms.

The viper's venom is considered potentially dangerous to humans, and the bite of some members of the viper family can be fatal and result in death.

However, viper venom has found its application, because it is a valuable raw material for making medical supplies and even cosmetics. The poison is a cocktail of proteins, lipids, peptides, amino acids, sugar and salt of inorganic origin. Preparations obtained from viper venom are used as an analgesic for neuralgia and rheumatism, hypertension and skin diseases, to relieve asthma attacks, inflammation and bleeding.

The viper's venom enters the human or animal body through the lymph nodes and instantly enters the blood. The consequences of a viper bite are manifested by burning pain, redness and swelling form around the wound, which disappear after 2-3 days without any symptoms. serious consequences. In case of severe intoxication of the body, the following symptoms appear 15-20 minutes after a viper bite: the bitten person feels dizziness, nausea, chills, and rapid heartbeat. With increased concentrations of toxic substances, fainting, convulsions and coma occur.

Viper bite - first aid.

What to do if bitten by a viper:

• First of all, immediately after a viper bite, be sure to provide rest to the bitten organ (usually the limbs), securing it with something like a splint or, for example, simply tying your arm in a bent position with a scarf. Limit any active movements to avoid the rapid spread of viper venom throughout the body.
• A viper bite is dangerous and can be fatal to humans, so in any case, regardless of the severity of the victim’s condition, you should call an ambulance!
• By pressing your fingers at the bite site, try to slightly open the wound and suck out the poison. This can be done with your mouth, periodically spitting saliva, but the method is only permissible if there is no damage to the oral mucosa in the form of cracks, scratches or ulcers. You can try to reduce the concentration of poison in the wound using a regular glass glass, using it according to the principle of placing medical cups. The venom is sucked out continuously for 15-20 minutes.
• Then the viper bite site should be disinfected with any available means: cologne, vodka, alcohol, iodine, and a clean, lightly pressing bandage should be applied.
• If possible, it is advisable to take an antihistamine tablet to reduce the allergic reaction to the viper venom.
• Take as much liquid as possible - weak tea, water, but avoid coffee: this drink increases blood pressure and increases excitability.
• In case of serious injury, as first aid after a viper bite, a person is given artificial respiration and prolonged cardiac massage.

Sometimes vipers are confused with representatives of the colubrid family - snakes and copperheads, which often leads to the killing of innocent animals. You can distinguish a poisonous snake from a harmless one by a number of signs.

How is it different from a viper? Similarities and differences between snakes.

The snake is a non-venomous snake; the viper is poisonous and deadly to humans. The similarity between a snake and a viper is obvious: both snakes can have a similar color and can be encountered by a person in a forest, meadow or near a pond. And yet, these reptiles have certain characteristics by which they can be distinguished:

• The appearance of the snake and the black viper differs, despite the same skin color. The common snake has 2 yellow or orange spots on its head, similar to miniature ears, while the viper does not have such markings.

• You should not focus solely on the color of snakes, since both snakes and vipers can be similar in color. For example, the color of a water snake can be olive, brown or black, with various spots. In addition, black water snake there are no yellow markings on the head, which is why it can be easily confused with a viper. The color of the viper can also be olive, black or brown, with a variety of spots scattered throughout the body.

• And yet, if you look closely at the spots, you can see the following difference between snakes: in snakes the spots on the body are arranged in a checkerboard pattern, many types of vipers have a zigzag stripe on the back, running along the entire body, and there are also spots on the sides of the body.

• Another difference between a snake and a viper is that the pupil of a viper is vertical, while in snakes it is round.

• The viper's mouth contains sharp teeth, which are clearly visible when the snake opens its mouth. Snakes have no teeth.

• Longer than a viper. The body length of the snake is usually 1-1.3 meters. The length of the viper usually varies between 60-75 cm, although there are species reaching 3-4 meters (bushmaster). In addition, vipers look much more well-fed.
• The tail of the viper is shortened and thick, while that of the snake is thinner and longer. In addition, in vipers the transition from the body to the tail is clearly defined.
• Vipers differ from snakes in the triangular shape of the skull with clearly defined brow ridges; snakes have an oval-ovoid skull.

• The anal shield of the viper is solid, while in the grass snake it consists of 2 scales.
• When meeting people, snakes try to retreat and hide; the viper will most likely show complete indifference or aggression if you step on this poisonous snake or simply brush against it.
• Snakes love damp habitats, so they can often be found near bodies of water, where they swim and catch frogs. Vipers feed primarily, so they choose other habitats: forests, steppes, dense grass.

• The viper is a poisonous snake, the copperhead is not poisonous.
• Many vipers have a dark-colored zigzag stripe running along their backs, while copperheads have a “scattered” pattern of specks or dark spots on their backs. But there are also black vipers that do not have stripes.

• The viper's head is triangular in shape with pronounced arches above the eyes. Copperheads have a narrow, elongated head.
• The viper's mouth contains teeth with which the snake bites its prey. Copperheads have no teeth.
• The pupil of the copperhead is round, while that of the viper is vertically slit-shaped.

• The anal shield of the copperhead consists of a pair of scales, but in the viper it is solid.
• Having noticed a person, the copperhead will hasten to hide in a shelter; the viper will either not pay attention to the person, or will begin to attack.

• The mouth of a viper and snake contains teeth, but the bite of a poisonous viper is dangerous and can be fatal, and the bite of a snake, although painful, does not cause mortal danger, since the snake does not have poisonous glands.
• In the viper, the head and body are separated by a shortened bridge that imitates the neck; in the snake, there is no cervical interception.
• The back of most vipers is either plain, black, or has a dark stripe running in a zigzag along the entire back. The color of the runner can be plain, with transverse dark spots on the back or in a mesh.

• The snake has a distinctive pattern on the top of its skull - a dark stripe between the eyes; the viper does not have such decoration.
• The viper is much shorter and looks more plump than the snake. Snakes can grow up to 1.5 meters in length, and standard size vipers - 60-70 cm. Only the largest vipers have a body length reaching 2 meters.

Types of vipers - photos and descriptions.

Modern classification distinguishes 4 subfamilies of vipers:

• pit vipers, they are also rattlesnakes or rattlesnakes (lat. Crotalinae): they are distinguished by the presence of 2 infrared pits, which are located in the recess between the eyes and nostrils;
• toad vipers(lat. Causinae): belong to the oviparous type of snakes, which is rare among all representatives of the family;
• Viperidae(lat. Viperinae) - the most numerous subfamily, whose representatives live even in the Arctic (common viper);
• azemiopinae- subfamily represented unique gender and the species is the Burmese fairy viper.

To date, science knows 292 species of vipers. Below are several varieties of these snakes:

• Common viper (lat. Vipera berus)- a relatively small representative of the family: the body length is usually in the range of 60-70 cm, however, in the northern part of the range there are individuals more than 90 cm in length. The weight of the viper varies from 50 to 180 grams, with females being slightly larger than males. The head is large, slightly flattened, the muzzle is rounded. The color of the common viper is quite variable and multifaceted: the color of the main background of the back can be black, light gray, yellow-brown, reddish-brown, bright copper. Most specimens have a pronounced pattern along the back in the form of a zigzag stripe. The viper's abdomen is gray, brown-gray or black, sometimes supplemented with whitish spots. The tip of the tail is often colored bright yellow, reddish or orange. This species of viper has a fairly wide habitat. The common viper lives in the forest belt of Eurasia - it is found from the territories of Great Britain and France to the western regions of Italy and eastern Korea. Feels comfortable in hot Greece, Turkey and Albania, while also penetrating the Arctic Circle - found in Lapland and in countries on the coast Barents Sea. On the territory of Russia, the common viper lives in Siberia, Transbaikalia and the Far East.

• Long-nosed viper(lat. Vipera ammodytes) differs from other species by a soft, sharp, scaly outgrowth at the tip of the snout, reminiscent of a snub nose. The length of the viper is 60-70 cm (sometimes 90 cm). The body color is gray, sandy or red-brown (depending on the species); a zigzag dark stripe or a series of diamond-shaped stripes runs along the back. The long-nosed viper lives on rocky landscapes from Italy, Serbia and Croatia to Turkey, Syria and Georgia.

• Steppe viper (western steppe viper) (lat. Vipera ursinii) is a poisonous snake that lives in lowland and mountain steppes, alpine meadows, ravines and semi-deserts. Steppe vipers are found in the countries of southern and southeastern Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Albania), Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia (in the Caucasus, southern Siberia, Rostov region, Altai). The length of the viper with a tail reaches 64 cm, females are larger than males. The color of the snake is brown-gray, with a dark brown or black zigzag stripe running along the ridge. Dark spots are scattered on the sides of the body.

• Horned keffiyeh(lat. Trimeresurus cornutus, Protobothrops cornutus) stands out among its relatives with small horns located above the eyes. The body of the viper, up to 60-80 cm long, is colored creamy-light green and dotted with dark brown spots. The snake spends almost its entire life in trees and bushes, descending to the ground only to mate. The horned keffiyeh is a typical inhabitant of the south and southeast of Asia, living in China, India and Indonesia.

• Burmese fairy viper, or Chinese viper(lat. Azemiops feae)- an oviparous species, very rare among vipers. It got its name not thanks to a fairy-tale character, but in honor of the zoologist Leonardo Fea. The length of the viper is about 80 cm. Large, snake-like scutes grow on the snake’s head. The top of the body is greenish-brown, the bottom is cream, the head is most often yellow, with yellow stripes on the sides. It is found in Central Asia in the southeast of Tibet, Burma, China and Vietnam.

• Noisy Viper(lat. Bitis arietans)- one of the most beautiful and most dangerous species African vipers. The bite of a noisy viper is fatal in 4 out of 5 cases. The snake got its name from the indignant hissing it makes in case of danger. The body of the viper is disproportionately thick with a girth of up to 40 cm and a length of about 2 m. The color of the viper can be golden yellow, dark beige or red-brown. Along the body there is a pattern consisting of 2 dozen brown marks in the shape of the Latin letter U. The noisy viper lives throughout Africa (except for the equator), as well as in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

• (lat. Bitis nasicornis) It is distinguished by a special decoration on the face, consisting of 2-3 vertically protruding scales. The body is thick, can reach a length of 1.2 m, and is covered with a beautiful pattern. Along the back there are blue trapezoidal patterns with a yellow border, connected by black diamonds. The sides are covered with black triangles alternating with olive-colored diamonds with a red border. The viper's head with bright blue “cheeks” is covered with black arrows with a yellow edging. Prefers to settle in the damp, swampy forests of Equatorial Africa.

• Kaisaka, or labaria (lat. Bothrops atrox)- the largest viper of the spearhead genus, growing up to 2.5 m in length. Distinctive feature The kaisaki has a lemon-yellow chin, which is why the snake is nicknamed “yellow beard.” The slender body is covered with gray or brown skin with a diamond-shaped pattern on the back. Kaisaka lives throughout the territory Central America, in Argentina and the coastal islands of South America.

• Diamondback rattlesnake(lat. Crotalus adamanteus)- record holder among rattlesnakes for the amount of “milk yield” of venom (660 mg from one snake). A large viper can grow over 2 m in length and weigh more than 15 kg. Along the back, painted in brown tones, there is a series of 24-35 black diamonds with a brilliant shine and a light yellow border. This viper lives only in the USA: from Florida to New Orleans.

• Gyurza, or Levant viper(lat. Macrovipera lebetina)- the most dangerous and poisonous viper, the poison of which is second only to poison in toxicity. It belongs to the oviparous type of snakes. The body length of an adult viper can reach 2 meters, the weight of the viper is 3 kg. The body color is gray-brown, with dark spotting, subject to variability within the range. Some individuals have a black body with a purple tint. The viper is widespread in dry foothill areas, as well as on the outskirts of large cities in North-West Africa, Asia, Transcaucasia, Dagestan and Kazakhstan.

• African pygmy viper (lat. Bitis peringueyi)- the smallest viper in the world, the body length of an adult does not exceed 20-25 cm. Due to its modest body size, it is a relatively safe species of viper that lives in the deserts of Namibia and Angola.

• Bushmaster or surukuku (lat. Lachesis muta)- the largest viper in the world, a rare species, reaching a length of 3-4 meters with a body weight of 3 to 5 kg. Inhabits wet rainforests South and Central America.