Scientific Name:
Zamenis situla
Distribution
Italy, Malta, SE Europe, Turkey, Crimean peninsula.
Diet:
Carnivore. Rodents, nestlings and lizards.
Facts
Habitat: Scrubland, rocks, river & marsh edges, farmhouses up to 1600m altitude.
Incubation: 60-81 days, 2-8 eggs
Social structure: Solitary
Dimensions: 1,2m max
Lifespan: 15 in the wild, max 25 in human care
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Estimated population in the wild: Unknown
Threats: Pet trade, locally habitat loss due to intensification of agriculture.
Did you know that:
It is considered the most beautiful snake of Greece. It is widely distributed in the mainland, Peloponnese and most islands.
The Greek common name "House Snake" is said to derive from the Cyclades where in some places people would introduce it to their storage areas as rodent control.
It is totally harmless but people mistake it for a viper and kill it.
Diurnal snake that avoids high temperatures. Carefully moves among stones and vegetation and often climbs onto bushes and rocks.