Balkan whip snake

Balkan Whip Snake ( Hierophis gemonensis )

( Gemonensis Hierophis, formerly Coluber gemonensis ) The Balkan whip snake is a non-toxic snake of the family of snakes.

Features

Adult animals are generally smaller than 100 centimeters, but can be over 130 inches long. The head has grown remarkably high, the total body lean, but strong. The basic color of the Balkan whip snake tends between brown, red-brown, yellow and gray tones. Numerous dark spots spread occasionally throughout the body, but usually only the front third of the body. Towards the tail they can merge to form a striped pattern. Also completely without drawings specimens occur. Juveniles are similar to adults, but are clearly marked contrast.

Habitat and Distribution

The Balkan whip snake inhabits dry, rocky terrain with low vegetation, and can be found up to altitudes of 1400 meters in the maquis, phrygana in loose trees, vineyards and olive groves as well as in rural gardens and ruins from sea level.

Their range extends to the northwest of Slovenia and the Istrian peninsula, the Croatian coast with its islands along the southern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, the west of Albania to Greece, including the Peloponnese, the Ionian islands and Crete and Karpathos.

Way of life

The Balkan Whip Snake preferred eats lizards and large insects, but also small mammals and bird chicks.

The female lays a clutch of four to ten eggs. The young hatch after an incubation period of 60-70 days in total length from an average of 15 cm.

System

The scientific description was in 1768 by Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti gemonensis as Natrix. The Terra typica is Gemona del Friuli in northern Italy; Here, however, the species is no longer present.

While Laurenti, the Balkan whip snake nor the European water snakes ( Natrix ) then assigned and ( natrix natrix) in addition to the grass snake put it, she was later filed, inter alia, the genus Zamenis as well as in the genre of anger snakes ( Coluber ). The genus Coluber comprised snake species from Europe, Asia and North America, are similar due to the specialized for hunting nimble prey such as lizards physique very much. Therefore, the Balkan whip snake of the genus Coluber was expected until molecular biological studies have led to a splitting of the genus Coluber. Together with the Yellow Green Whip Snake and Hierophis spinalis it now forms the genus Hierophis.

Endangering

Although the Balkan whip snake on the IUCN Red List as uncritical ( "Least Concern", LC) is classified, and can be quite common in some areas, the spread in Albania seems to be declining threat .. learns the snake especially by the increasing road traffic and arson.