Below in English
Στην Κύπρο συναντούμε 22 διαφορετικά είδη ερπετών . 11 είδη σαυρών, 2 είδη θαλάσσιων χελωνών, 1 χελώνα γλυκού νερού και 8 είδη φιδιών.
Τα φίδια τα συναντούμε από το υψόμετρο της θάλασσας μέχρι τες ψηλότερες κορυφές του Τροόδους
Από τα 8 είδη φιδιών της Κύπρου τα 3 είναι δηλητηριώδη αλλά μόνο το ένα είναι επικίνδυνο για τον άνθρωπο η φίνα.
Τα 2 δηλητηριώδη που δεν είναι επικίνδυνα είναι η σαΐτα και ο ξυλόδροπης τα οποία είναι οπισθογλυφα δηλαδή έχουν τα δόντια τους στο πίσω μέρος του στόματος τους και με ακίνδυνο δηλητήριο για τον άνθρωπο.
Incredible Photographs and Videos of Cyprus Snakes – By George Konstantinou – Politis Newspaper, 25/9/2017
GEORGE KONSTANTINOU, 25/9/2017
In Cyprus, we encounter 22 different species of reptiles: 11 species of lizards, two species of sea turtles, one freshwater turtle and eight species of snakes.
Snakes can be found from sea level up to the highest peaks of the Troodos Mountains.
Of the eight snake species found in Cyprus, three are venomous, but only one, the blunt-nosed viper, is dangerous to humans.
The two venomous species that are not dangerous are the Montpellier snake and the European cat snake. Both are rear-fanged, meaning that their venom-delivering teeth are situated at the back of the mouth, and their venom is not dangerous to humans.
The reason their teeth are situated at the back of their mouths is so that they can inject venom into their prey while swallowing it and paralyse it. Consequently, in the event of a bite, they cannot easily deliver their venom.
Snakes do not attack humans unless they feel that their lives are threatened. For a snake to bite you, you would normally have to catch it, accidentally step on it or approach it too closely.
To protect ourselves from snakebites when we are in the countryside, it is advisable to wear high boots and pay attention to where we step.
In the event of a bite from a blunt-nosed viper, we should not panic. We should move calmly so as not to allow the venom to circulate rapidly in the blood, tie the area above the bite—but not too tightly, so that we do not cause circulation problems—and proceed to the nearest hospital.
All snakes are active from spring until autumn because reptiles are cold-blooded. This means that they do not maintain their own body temperature in the same way as mammals or birds, but obtain from their surroundings the heat they need in order to remain active.
During winter, they enter hibernation. Because Cyprus has a mild winter, however, snakes may be encountered even in the middle of winter on sunny days.
Snakes are extremely beneficial to agriculture because a large part of their diet consists of rodents, which cause incalculable damage to humans. In this way, snakes help maintain the balance of nature.
Apart from rodents, they also feed on lizards, birds, frogs and even other snakes. Cannibalism also occurs among them, meaning that they may eat snakes of their own species. As shown in photograph 1, one Black Whip Snake is swallowing another Black Whip Snake.
Snakes mate in late spring and early summer. They lay their eggs in the middle of summer, and these hatch in autumn.
During mating, the snakes remain motionless with their bodies joined together.
We often see two snakes behaving strangely, twisting around one another and raising themselves from the ground as though they were dancing.
Most people believe that what they are witnessing is a mating ritual, but this is incorrect. What they are actually seeing is a dispute between two males over territorial dominance, as shown in photograph 2, in which two blunt-nosed vipers are fighting, and in photograph 3, in which two Black Whip Snakes are displaying the same behaviour.
This combat is not violent. It results in the stronger snake prevailing and the weaker one retreating.
None of the snakes of Cyprus displays maternal instincts. They lay their eggs in a suitable place and then leave. Their eggs are oval, white and soft, enclosed by a membrane rather than a hard shell like the eggs of birds. They are incubated by the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment, as shown in photograph 4.
Immediately after hatching, the young snakes are capable of surviving independently.
All snakes in Cyprus are protected by law. However, this law is not enforced, since we frequently see people on the internet posing like heroes with dead snakes—which they themselves have killed—without facing any consequences.
In general, there is an intense fear of snakes in Cyprus, with the result that people kill them wherever they encounter them. This fear is, of course, caused by numerous irrational and untrue myths that have been passed down from generation to generation.
We must finally learn to respect the environment and all the animals on our planet.
Every living creature has its own purpose and role, as well as the right to life.
The eight species of snakes found in Cyprus are:
1. Macrovipera lebetina – Blunt-nosed Viper – Fina – Viper
The only snake in Cyprus that is dangerous to humans.
It has a widespread distribution, from coastal areas up to the highest peaks of the Troodos Mountains.
Photograph 5 shows an incredible attack by a blunt-nosed viper on a heron.
2. Malpolon insignitus (Geoffroy in Savigny, 1827) – Eastern Montpellier Snake – Saïtta – Sapitis
Rear-fanged—carries venom in its rear teeth—but is not dangerous to humans.
It has a widespread distribution, from coastal areas up to the highest peaks of the Troodos Mountains.
3. Cyprus Whip Snake – Hierophis cypriensis (Schätti, 1985) – Cyprus Snake
It occurs in forested areas of the Troodos Mountains, although it appears to have a wider distribution.
It is endemic to Cyprus, meaning that it lives in Cyprus and nowhere else in the world.
4. Grass Snake – Natrix natrix cypriaca (Linnaeus, 1758) – Cyprus Grass Snake – Water Snake
An endemic subspecies of Cyprus.
It is threatened with extinction and is found at Paralimni Lake and in one small area in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains.
Photograph 6 shows a Cyprus Grass Snake swallowing a frog.
5. European Cat Snake – Telescopus fallax (Fleischmann, 1831) – Xylodropis – Agiofido
Rear-fanged—carries venom in its rear teeth—but is not dangerous to humans.
It has a widespread distribution, from coastal areas up to the highest peaks of the Troodos Mountains.
6. Black Whip Snake – Dolichophis jugularis – Therko – Black Snake
It has a widespread distribution, from coastal areas up to the highest peaks of the Troodos Mountains.
7. Coin-marked Snake – Hemorrhois nummifer (Reuss, 1833) – Dropis
It has a widespread distribution, from coastal areas up to the highest peaks of the Troodos Mountains.
8. Eurasian Blind Snake – Typhlops vermicularis (Merrem, 1799) – Tyflinos – Anilios
A blind snake that lives beneath stones and in the soil and feeds on ants’ eggs.
It is found mainly in lowland areas.
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