Viviparous viper or eggs. Mating season

Description

The common viper is usually medium in size - males reach 60 cm, females 70 cm. In the north of the range, rare specimens reach 1 meter in length. The head is separated from the body by a short neck, the muzzle is on top, in front of the line connecting the front edges of the eyes, has 3 large shields (one in the middle and two on the sides), as well as a number of smaller ones. The pupil is vertical. The muzzle is rounded at the end. The nasal opening is cut in the middle of the nasal shield. Coloration varies greatly from gray and bluish to coppery red and black, with a characteristic zigzag pattern on the back along the ridge. In the latter case, the pattern is practically indistinguishable.

Spreading

The range of the common viper includes Europe (Great Britain, Scandinavian countries, France, Italy, Albania, Bulgaria, northern Greece, Switzerland, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia - the middle and northern regions of the European part) and Asia (Russia - Siberia, the Far East to Sakhalin inclusive; North Korea and northern regions China). This is the only snake found far north (up to 68° north latitude) due to its poor sensitivity to low temperatures.

Lifestyle

Lives common viper on average 11-12 years. It quickly adapts to any terrain and can live at altitudes up to 3000 meters above sea level. The distribution is uneven depending on the availability of suitable wintering sites. The saddle, as a rule, does not move further than 50-100 meters. The exception is forced migration to a wintering site; in this case, snakes can move up to a distance of 5 km. Wintering usually occurs from October-November to March-April (depending on the climate), for which it chooses a depression in the ground (burrows, crevices, etc.) at a depth of up to 2 meters, where the temperature does not drop below +2... +4 °C. If there is a shortage of such places, several hundred individuals may accumulate in one place, and in the spring they crawl to the surface, which creates the impression of great crowding. Subsequently, the snakes crawl away.

IN summer time often basks in the sun, the rest of the time it hides under old stumps, in crevices, etc. The snake is non-aggressive, and when a person approaches, it tries to use its camouflage coloring as much as possible, or to move away. Only in case of unexpected appearance of a person or in case of provocation on his part can she try to bite him. This cautious behavior is explained by the fact that it requires a lot of energy to reproduce venom in conditions of changing temperatures.

Reproduction

The mating season is in May, and the offspring appear in August or September, depending on the climate. The viper is viviparous - the eggs develop and the young hatch in the womb. Usually up to 8-12 young individuals appear, depending on the length of the female. It happens that during childbirth, the female wraps herself around a tree or stump, leaving her tail hanging, “scattering” baby snakes onto the ground, which from the first moment begin an independent life. Juveniles are usually 15-20 cm long and are already poisonous. Many people believe that only born individuals are more poisonous, but this is not true. It is also not true that young individuals are more aggressive. Just after being born, snakes usually moult. Subsequently, molting of young and adults occurs 1 - 2 times a month. Before their first hibernation in October-November, they never eat, since before hibernation they must digest all the food they eat in order to avoid problems with metabolism.

I

The common viper is deadly poisonous, and its venom is similar to that of rattlesnakes. However, it produces a much smaller amount of poison compared to the latter, and for this reason is considered less dangerous. The bite is rarely fatal. However, a person who is bitten should seek medical attention immediately.

The venom contains high molecular weight proteases with hemorrhagic, hemocoagulating and necrotizing effects and low molecular weight neurotropic cytotoxins. As a result of the bite, hemorrhagic edema, necrosis and hemorrhagic penetration of tissues in the area of ​​​​injection of the poison occur, accompanied by dizziness, lethargy, headache, nausea, and shortness of breath. Subsequently, progressive shock of complex origin, acute anemia, intravascular coagulation, and increased capillary permeability develop. In severe cases, dystrophic changes occur in the liver and kidneys.

In spring, viper venom is more toxic than in summer.

Enemies in nature

The main enemies of the viper in nature are storks, herons, kites, eagles and owls. On the ground are hedgehogs, wild boars, or large rodents. Also, snakes often die under the hooves of cattle in pastures or at the hands of humans, including under the wheels of vehicles.

Notes

Literature

• “Amphibians and reptiles of the USSR”, A. G. Bannikov, I. S. Darevsky, A. K. Rustamov, ed. "Thought", 1971

Links

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See what “Common viper” is in other dictionaries:

Viper: The common viper is a species of poisonous snake of the genus of true vipers of the viper family. Real vipers are a genus of poisonous snakes of the Viper family. Viper family of poisonous snakes Viper (story) story by Alexei Tolstoy.... ... Wikipedia - (common viper), snake family. vipers. Dl. 60-70 cm, sometimes up to 85 cm. The color is varied - from gray and sand to black tones. A characteristic dark zigzag stripe runs along the back, invisible in black individuals. On the top side... ...

Biological encyclopedic dictionary There is nowhere to put brands, toadstool, scoundrel, reptile, scum, scoundrel, nowhere to put brands, infection, bitch, creature, bastard, bitch, daboya, filth, sneak, scoundrel, vulture, bitch, scoundrel, snake, viper, rubbish, viper, bastard, viper, scoundrel...

Dictionary of synonyms Handbook of homeopathy Common viper Common viper Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animals T ... Wikipedia Snakes - Common viper. Common viper. Snakes are animals of the reptile class. They are characterized by an elongated body, devoid of limbs. Z.'s body is covered with scales and horny scutes. The top layer of Z.'s skin is periodically shed. Thin… …

First aid - popular encyclopedia In August 2014, I visited the Nurgush nature reserve, but I never got around to making out the photographs taken there. Recently, while selecting shots for the photo competition “Reserves and National Parks of Russia are 100 Years Old,” I remembered several portraits of snakes from the reserve. In the security zone of the Nurgush nature reserve (the one where access to outsiders is allowed) there is a clearing in which many years ago, even before the formation of the reserve, there was a summer camp for livestock. The remains of which, in the form of a heap of rotten pieces of wood covered with lichen, can still be seen at the edge of the clearing. Snakes loved this place very much. Vipers bask in the sun on wooden debris, among which they can hide in case of danger. No wonder this clearing was nicknamed. Even though they look different, they are all the same species - Common viper(lat. Vipera berus). Some of them are light gray in color, with a dark pattern on the back, some are completely black. This is a manifestation of melanism, excessive dark pigmentation. It is easy to distinguish from harmless vipers by the absence of yellow spots in the back of the head, and if you get to know them very closely, the snake has a round pupil, while the viper has a vertical pupil, like a cat’s. But you shouldn’t be afraid of the viper either. For all its poisonousness, it prefers not to be seen by humans and hides at the first danger. Only when driven into a corner or taken by surprise does it hiss and rush threateningly. You should not consider your life over if the worst thing happens - you are bitten by a viper. Over the past half century, there have been almost no deaths from a direct viper bite (unless Small child was stung in the face), more from the consequences of improper treatment (cut the wound, tie it with a tourniquet, cauterize it and other nonsense). But more on this below.

What does a common viper look like?

This snake is 35-50 cm long. The common viper can be of different colors, but there is one hallmark for all vipers: it is a dark zigzag on the back, from the back of the head to the end of the tail, which is accompanied on each side by a longitudinal row of dark spots. It can be assumed that the main color of vipers is silver, but this is conditional, since there are light gray, yellow, green and brown individuals. In some areas, up to 50% of the population are melanistic black vipers. The viper's abdomen is dark gray or even black. The end of the tail is always lighter in color, usually lemon.

The head at the back is noticeably wider than the neck, rather flat, the neck is clearly separated and slightly compressed laterally, the tail is relatively short, noticeably thinner in the last third of its length and ends with a short, hard tip. The male has a shorter and thinner body, and the tail is relatively thicker and longer than the female.

Vipers have large, round eyes. Some say that they reflect some kind of deceit and aggression. The color of the iris is usually bright fiery red; in dark females it is light reddish-brown.

Where do vipers live?

The common viper is distributed mosaically in the forest belt of Eurasia from Great Britain, France and northern Italy in the west, to Sakhalin and Korean Peninsula in the east. IN Eastern Europe The viper sometimes penetrates the Arctic Circle - for example, it lives in the Lapland Nature Reserve and on the shores of Barents Sea. To the east - in Siberia and the Far East - the distribution in many places is limited by the lack of suitable wintering burrows. From the south, the range is limited to steppe regions.

The viper does not have any special preferences in its habitat; it can be found here and there: in forests and deserts, in mountains, meadows, fields, swamps and even in the steppes. The main thing is that there is enough food and light, and for the rest it does not make any special demands. Especially many vipers are found in swampy places. Here they sometimes live in terrifying numbers.

The viper lives in some hole in the soil, under the roots of a tree or between stones, in a hole (from which it first expels the owners), in a crevice in the soil - in general, in some similar shelter, near which there should be a small open place, where she could bask in the sun.

Lifestyle of the common viper

Vipers spend their entire lives (and they live twelve to fifteen years) in the same territory. Distribution is uneven depending on the availability of places suitable for wintering. The saddle, as a rule, does not move further than 60-100 meters. The exception is forced migration to a wintering place; in this case, snakes can move away to a distance of up to 2-5 km. In the summer it sometimes basks in the sun, but for the most part hides under old stumps, in crevices, etc. Despite the fact that vipers love light and warmth, it cannot be said that this snake leads a diurnal lifestyle; on the contrary, during the day they are slow, love to bask in the sun’s rays, and with the onset of dusk, vipers become active and crawl out to hunt. Even her eyes are adapted to seeing in the dark: the pupil can expand and contract, which is rare in reptiles.

Vipers feel great at a body temperature of nine to thirty degrees. If the temperature drops below nine or rises above thirty-five degrees, the animal dies. Therefore, the snake is forced to spend the whole day in the shelter, crawling out into the sun several times to bask.

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 the period hibernation lasts for middle lane Russia is about six months old.

The viper has many enemies in nature, for example, owls, foxes, hedgehogs, ferrets, minks and eagles. The greatest danger to the common viper comes from humans, primarily economic activity, aimed at deforestation and other changes in natural landscapes. Among forest inhabitants the main enemies of vipers are hedgehogs that are immune to snake venom. The hedgehog uses the following tactics when attacking: it bites the snake on the body and immediately curls up into a ball, exposing its needles for a retaliatory strike. The procedure is repeated several times until the viper weakens and dies.

What does a viper eat?

The food for vipers consists mainly of warm-blooded animals, especially mice, which the snake prefers to any other food. From the observations of scientists it follows that it catches mice not only on the ground, but also underground. Chicks, especially those birds that nest on the ground, often become victims of the viper. It can also hunt adult birds. She eats frogs and lizards only as a last resort.

The viper lies in wait for its prey and bites (for example, wood mouse), and then lets go in order to later find the corpse by following the trail, since under the influence of the poison that has penetrated into the wound, the bitten animal quickly dies.

Vipers are predators from birth. Young snakes catch insects - locusts, beetles, and less often caterpillars of butterflies, ants, slugs and earthworms. In turn, vipers become victims of birds of prey and animals.

Viper breeding

The mating season is in May, and the offspring appear in August or September, depending on the climate. Mating begins only when spring weather established. The number of cubs produced by a female depends on the age of the mother: younger ones have five to six cubs, older ones - 12-14, even 16 cubs.

The viper is viviparous - the development of eggs and the hatching of cubs occurs in the womb. The intrauterine development of viper embryos is very interesting. The walls of the upper shell of the eggs are penetrated by blood vessels, so the embryo feeds on both the yolk of the egg and dissolved in the mother’s blood nutrients. It happens that during childbirth, the female wraps herself around a tree or stump, leaving her tail hanging, “scattering” baby snakes onto the ground, which from the first moment begin an independent life. Juveniles are usually 15-20 cm long and are already poisonous. As they grow, they molt, leaving behind crawling out like snakes.

The Viper is born evil and remains evil for the rest of its life. The little vipers, just hatched from the eggs, hissed and bit angrily when touched. Immediately after birth, each little viper crawls away, and the mother does not pay any attention to the cubs.

Why is a viper dangerous?

Vipers are the most common venomous snakes in central Eurasia. Their bite is dangerous to humans, but not fatal. If a person is not allergic to snake venom, then the bite does not pose a threat to life.

This snake is not aggressive and when a person approaches, it tries to use its camouflage coloring as much as possible, or to crawl away. Only in the event of a person's unexpected appearance or provocation on his part can she try to bite him. This cautious behavior is explained by the fact that it requires a lot of energy to reproduce venom in conditions of changing temperatures.

The viper never attacks a person first; it bites only if it is pursued, grabbed with hands, or stepped on. At the sight of a person, the viper always hurries to crawl away, hide, or lies quietly.

When attacked, the snake curls up and pulls 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 quickly retracts its neck again , preparing for the next attack.

When attacking, the viper focuses primarily on lightning speed, rather than accuracy. When attacking, she often misses, but immediately makes the next attempt until she achieves her goal. You have to be careful, as the viper never attacks silently. Even if it is hunting, the snake makes a loud hiss before attacking its prey. This hissing or snorting is made with her mouth closed and is caused by her inhaling and exhaling air more forcefully than usual. When air is exhaled, the sound is strong and low; when air is inhaled, it is weaker and higher.

The viper injects into the victim not a large number of poison. She saves it, since the production of poison is a very energy-intensive process and takes a lot of strength from the snake. The viper has hollow large fangs with a deep groove. The snake injects venom into the victim thanks to a reflex contraction of the temporal muscles that surround the venom-carrying glands.

What to do if you are bitten by a viper

Most often bites non-venomous snakes They leave only small scratches on the body. The bite of a poisonous snake leaves deep punctures from the teeth, through which the poison is injected. When bitten, the poison can get under the skin, into muscle tissue or into the lumen of a victim’s vessel. A bite into the lumen of a vessel is more severe due to the fact that the poison spreads faster throughout the body causing various disorders. There may be cases when the bite occurs with one fang, as a result of which a smaller dose of poison is injected and the poisoning proceeds more easily.

The viper's venom is hemo- and cytotoxic, that is, it destroys blood and tissue. It contains hyaluronidase and phospholipase and destroys the walls of blood vessels, red blood cells, proteins, and forms blood clots inside the vessels, leading to poor circulation. In addition, the poison disrupts cardiac and liver function, and also disrupts water-mineral balance.

• Hyaluronidase– splits connective tissue, destroys the walls of small capillaries, increases the permeability of tissues to water and ions.
• Phospholipase– splitting the lipid layer of red blood cells leads to their destruction (red blood cell hemolysis).

The above enzymes increase the permeability of cell membranes (mast cells) containing biological active substances (histamine, heparin, etc.), which leads to their release and the manifestation of inflammatory and allergic reactions (swelling, redness, pain, itching).

For humans, the bite of a common viper is considered potentially dangerous, but it is extremely rarely fatal. 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 experience no 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, pale skin, increased sweating, chills, and tachycardia are possible within 15-30 minutes. Finally, with particularly increased sensitivity, loss of consciousness, swelling of the face, a significant drop in blood pressure, heavy bleeding (DIC syndrome) may occur. renal failure, convulsive or coma. In the vast majority of cases, the consequences of the bite disappear after 2-4 days, but can last 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 to the point of immobilization, and ensuring plenty of fluids. Opinions about the benefits of sucking poison from a wound are divided: some experts believe that with this procedure, up to 30-50% of all poison can be removed within 10-15 minutes, others consider it harmful, since bacterial flora can enter the blood along with saliva, causing purulent inflammation. Incorrect and erroneous, but still common methods of treatment include making transverse incisions at the site of the bite, cauterization, applying a tourniquet, and covering with snow.

What to do it is forbidden when bitten by a snake?

You cannot apply a tourniquet. The tourniquet sharply disrupts blood circulation in the bite area and significantly increases the degree of tissue damage. Applying a tourniquet for 20-30 minutes sharply worsens the general condition of the patient. The poison is already necrotizing, and you are also cutting off the blood flow. The end result will be that the arm or leg will have to be amputated.

No cuts allowed, in order for “poisoned blood” to flow out, there is a high probability of damaging a nerve, vessel or tendon, as well as causing an infection. Let me remind you once again - the poison is necrotizing, and so the damage is large-scale. There is no need to worsen the picture. There is no need to do bloodletting either. There is negligible amount of poison in the systemic circulation. And the one that exists is already causing damage. circulatory system, and even more bleeding will not lead to anything good.

Can't cauterize bite site.

You can't drink alcohol, this only accelerates the spread of the poison.

You can't chip away bite site novocaine or adrenaline, impairs local blood supply, aggravates tissue damage.

What can be done is to lay the victim down so that the head is lower than the level of the legs. By doing this we will maintain cerebral circulation at a more or less acceptable level. The spread of the poison occurs mainly through the lymphatic vessels and is enhanced by muscle contractions. This means that you need to immobilize the bitten limb, as with fractures. Ideally, you need to immobilize the victim himself and give him plenty of warm and sweet drinks (hot tea is fine). The sooner the bitten person gets to the hospital, the better.

If possible, most effective way- is to introduce an antidote. If the victim in the most short time introduce a specific serum, the action of which is aimed at the venom of a specific viper, he will get off with only a slight fright. In the case of vipers, the serum must be administered within the first 30 minutes. Well, an hour is the maximum. When administered after a few hours, its effectiveness will drop significantly, and later there is no point in injecting at all.

The color of the viper can vary, but the black form is most common. Gray coloration with a zigzag pattern along the back is less common and is more typical of young snakes. The female viper lays up to 14 eggs in August, from which young individuals immediately emerge. The length of newborns is 17-19 cm. The length of adult snakes is 80-90 cm.

The common viper preys on various vertebrates: small rodents, shrews, lizards, frogs, and even chicks of birds nesting on the ground. Before swallowing it whole, it kills its prey with poison. Vipers have a complex venom-dental apparatus. Their poisonous fangs are large and are placed in a closed mouth only in a lying position. Venom glands are modified salivary glands. The poison flows into the victim's wound through hollow teeth resembling a syringe. Cases of viper bites to humans are relatively rare and are more often associated with careless behavior of people. Therefore, when picking mushrooms, berries, and haymaking in places where there are vipers, you need to be careful and attentive. Snakes themselves are the first to not attack and bite only during defense. Snakes do not have good hearing, but they have a tactile sense and therefore hide before they are noticed.

If you are bitten by a snake, you must:

Suck out the poison from the wound, this must be done within the first 20 minutes;

treat the skin around the wound with alcohol, iodine or brilliant green;

Ensure rest of the affected limb;

Drink more liquid (preferably tea or coffee);

Acceptable medical supplies, which support cardiac activity;

If possible, take the victim to a medical facility as soon as possible for examination by a doctor, where, if necessary, an antidote will be administered.

Tugging at the bitten area, incisions and cauterization are not recommended; they not only do not help, but are also harmful. Cases with fatal are very rare and after a bite, in most cases everything ends well. The viper is used to obtain medicines. In serpentariums - special nurseries for keeping snakes - pharmacological specialists “handle” the poison and produce serum against the bites of especially dangerous poisonous snakes - viper, cobra, epha.

Steppe viper

The steppe viper is in many ways similar to the common viper, but somewhat smaller in size and also lives in the forest-steppe zone. The color of the body-steppe viper is lighter, it is dominated by gray-brown, brown tones, with a zigzag black stripe along the back. The habitats of this snake are the slopes and valleys of steppe rivers, forest groves among fields. Snakes feed on small rodents, lizards, large insects(Locusts).

Unfortunately, there are no universal distinctive features, by which one can distinguish dangerous snakes from non-poisonous ones. Therefore, it will be useful for every person, especially those who love nature walks, to learn how to identify the species of snakes living in their region.
There are not many snakes living on the territory of Russia that pose a danger to humans.

The list is headed by the viper, widespread in North Africa, most of the Middle and Far East. On the territory of Russia it can be found in Dagestan. It is not for nothing that biologists classify this large snake as a genus of giant vipers: adult females reach 150 cm long. Males are usually slightly smaller. The snake has a wide triangular head, the muzzle is rounded and blunt when viewed from above.

The head is usually evenly colored, although it may sometimes be marked with a dark V-shaped pattern. Body color can be gray, brown, beige, pinkish, olive. Against this background, a darker pattern is visible - gray, dove, reddish or brown; it can consist of a continuous pattern along the spine or two rows of large spots forming a continuous zigzag line.

This reptile is active both day and night (mainly in hot weather). It can be found both in rocky mountainous area, both in the forest and in the steppe. She needs only two conditions - a large number of rodents and a body of water in the neighborhood. Gyurza is capable of making lightning-fast long throws own body, escape from the hands of even experienced snake catchers and inject up to 50 mg upon bite. the most dangerous poison, so it’s better not to mess with her. Snake venom has a strong hemolytic effect: it destroys blood cells and blood vessels. A victim of a viper attack feels weak and dizzy. The bitten limb swells and acquires a purplish-blue tint with foci of necrosis. Here, urgent medical attention is needed, because in case of delay, the probability of death is about 20%.

A smaller, but more common relative of the viper in our latitudes is the viper. The common viper boasts one of the widest habitats among snakes: from the islands of Foggy Albion to the Pacific coast of Asia, from the Arctic to Mediterranean Sea. These snakes love to live in forests and wetlands. Open meadows and slopes ideal for sunbathing, are important components of their preferred habitat. The rest of the time they like to hide in the thick grass. Vipers are born 16-18 cm in length and can reach up to 80 cm. The color can be varied: from light gray or brownish with a dark zigzag pattern along the back to completely black. The ventral scutes are black or gray. This snake's head is triangular and its pupils are vertical.

As a rule, in wildlife they live from 10 to 15 years However, they spend a good half of this period in suspended animation. They usually hibernate from September or October, using abandoned burrows of other animals. One such shelter can contain up to hundreds of vipers. In warm climatic conditions Winter sleep time may be shortened. The viper is mainly diurnal, especially in the northern part of its habitat. But the further south you go, the more active it is in the evening and at night.

A viper bite is usually not fatal to an adult, but is dangerous to children and pets. In any case, after a bite you should immediately seek professional medical help, otherwise even healthy adults may experience unpleasant consequences of exposure to the poison for up to several months.

Symptoms of a viper bite - immediate and strong pain, swelling and tingling sensation. Further symptoms may include nausea, abdominal colic and diarrhea, urinary incontinence, sweating, fever, vasoconstriction, tachycardia, loss of consciousness, temporary blindness, swelling of the face, lips, gums, tongue, and throat. In severe cases, cardiovascular failure may develop. If left untreated, these symptoms may persist for up to 48 hours.

Caucasian viper, also known as Kaznakov's viper - much rarer, but also more dangerous look vipers. It is endemic to the Caucasus, living in Russia, Georgia and Turkey. This snake reaches the length up to 60 cm, the wedge-shaped head is visually different from the neck. Unlike the modest colors of other vipers, the color of the Caucasian viper has pronounced reddish and orange elements. Along the spine there is a wide, black or brown zigzag stripe. Juveniles boast a bright red-brown color, reaching maximum intensity after the first winter. Melanists are very rare.

This species lives on wooded mountain slopes, in wet ravines and on the edges of clearings. On Black Sea coast it emerges from hibernation in March, but at altitudes above 600 m above sea level it appears in the second half of April or early May. Breeds from late March to mid-May. Hibernation begins in early November (for coastal areas), and at the end - beginning of October for high-mountain populations.

The Caucasian viper can live at an altitude of up to 900 meters above sea level. Even higher (up to 3000 meters above sea level) lives a snake similar in appearance and biology, described as separate species only at the end of the 20th century - Dinnik’s viper.

The snake is active from April - May to November and leaves winter shelter not earlier than the temperature rises above 5-8 C. Consequences of the bite steppe viper similar to the consequences of a bite from a common viper.

Another poisonous snake living in Russia is the common copperhead, also known as Pallas's copperhead. An interesting feature of this snake is that it is able to capture the thermal radiation of its prey. It has a dull coloration, grayish or brown, with transverse dark spots along the back and smaller markings on the sides. The tip of the wide muzzle is slightly upturned, and between the nostrils and the eyes of the copperhead there are noticeable indentations: its heat-sensitive organs are located there. Body length is up to 70 cm.

The cottonmouth is found in Central Asia, Northern China, Korea and Mongolia. Within Russia, it can be found in the Lower Volga region, Southern Siberia and the Far East.

When choosing a place of residence, the copperhead is unpretentious. Forests and steppes, semi-deserts and subalpine meadows, banks and swampy floodplains of rivers are suitable for him. He is also indiscriminate in his daily routine: he can be active both day and night.
The bite of the copperhead is usually not fatal, although it is dangerous if you have heart and kidney problems. Like viper venom, copperhead venom disrupts the circulatory system, but it also contains neurotoxins. It usually causes a rather severe condition that can last a whole week. And the bite wound sometimes does not heal for more than a month.

The copperhead is a snake whose dangers are talked about much more than it deserves. Its habitat extends throughout Europe as far as Western Siberia. It belongs to the order of colubrids, although in appearance it resembles a viper. The color of the copperhead is matte gray, brown or brick-reddish with a dark, sometimes very faint pattern along the back. She usually has a marking on her head that is sometimes described as a "butterfly" or "heart". Another one characteristic- dark stripes running horizontally along the eye line. The pupils of this snake are round, unlike the viper's, and the irises of the eyes may be reddish.

In principle, the copperhead is safe for humans, although it can bite until it bleeds with its front, non-poisonous teeth. The poisonous teeth are located too deep in the mouth, so they are dangerous only for the prey that the copperhead can immediately swallow. In addition, it produces little poison, and it is much less toxic than viper.

What to do if bitten by a snake?

In case of a bite poisonous snake It is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible. Other measures to take:

1. If possible, suck out the poison from the wound, periodically rinsing your mouth with water (this measure is effective during the first 5-10 minutes). Be careful, if there are wounds in your mouth, there is a risk of poison getting into your mouth, do not swallow it under any circumstances!
2. Immobilize the affected part of the body.
3. Remove anything that might put pressure on the limb during swelling.
4. Drink more - this will help remove poison from the body.

You should never do the following:

• Cauterize or widen the wound: as a result of the bite, the poison enters a depth of several centimeters and cannot be gotten rid of in this way.
• Apply a tourniquet: this can lead to necrosis and subsequent amputation.
• Drink alcohol: it will slow down the removal of poison from the body.
• Drink coffee: its stimulating effect will be unnecessary.

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

Dislike for snakes was 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 climates. 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 Eastern Siberia it lives right up to the permafrost boundary.

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 northern latitudes 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 shorter and thin 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 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 such as 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 the reproduction of the viper is the presence of combined nutrition of the 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.

Besides, in winter time conditions must be created for hibernation. 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 appearance and the character of the viper snake. Precautionary measures when meeting a viper. Features of the viper.