Paphos this am any ideas? (1 Viewer)

[KenM]

Many thanks.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Coin-marked Snake, common on Cyprus I believe. Not venomous.

 

[ApusApus]

Found all over the island and the only constricting snake present on Cyprus!


Shane

 

[Andy Adcock]

Coin Snake I think Ken, victim of the f****** feral cats that abound here.


I posted this, early this morning?

 

[KenM]

Thanks guys!….an “expert” told me that it was a common Blunt-nosed Viper in a very matter of fact way, and that the bite was fatal with circa 30-40 fatalities each year.
(wonder if he offers advice on BF?)

Needless to say from there on in…I continued my “hunting” on stoney paths, avoiding the long grass on his recommendation!😮

He clearly had a sense of humour/stringy..Bastard!

 

[Hotspur]

Blunt-nosed Viper is no doubt a potent snake but I doubt there are that many fatalities per year in Cyprus. They are quite a different looking beast being an ambush predator.

 

[Scridifer]

According to a study in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology an average of 40 people are hospitalised after being bitten by venomous snakes (i.e. Blunt-nosed Viper) in Cyprus each year. Very few fatalities though - between 2000 and 2018 there were just two deaths, a man of 73 and a woman aged 77.

Chris

 

[Jos Stratford]

Blunt-nosed Viper is no doubt a potent snake but I doubt there are that many fatalities per year in Cyprus. They are quite a different looking beast being an ambush predator.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Found all over the island and the only constricting snake present on Cyprus!


Shane

I thought the Whips snakes were constrictors?

 

[Andy Adcock]

Thanks guys!….an “expert” told me that it was a common Blunt-nosed Viper in a very matter of fact way, and that the bite was fatal with circa 30-40 fatalities each year.
(wonder if he offers advice on BF?)

Needless to say from there on in…I continued my “hunting” on stoney paths, avoiding the long grass on his recommendation!😮

He clearly had a sense of humour/stringy..Bastard!

I was on a walk last Saturday with other Birdlife Cyprus members and one of them, Peter was bitten by a very big B-n V, through his golf shoe a couple of years ago. The tissue damage to his foot, was still, very apparent all this time later.

Peter told me that he'd seen official bite stats for Cyprus and whilst there are few fatalities annually, the published numbers are deliberately, kept low, for the fear of putting off holidaymakers. I think I recall that the paper which Peter saw, reported 76 bites for that year but most, were suffered by agricultural workers, none fatal I don't think.

I certainly am always wary about going off trails in to long grass or bushes, the Viper is very common and the risk of bites is a real one. Always be aware that you may encounter a snake but don't let it ruin your visit.

 

[Hotspur]

Fantastic looking things!

 

[ApusApus]

I thought the Whips snakes were constrictors?

No, it's not a constrictor but instead grabs large prey which it forces against the ground to cause asphyxiation. Incidentaly, Blunt-nosed Vipers are on its list of prey!

 

[ApusApus]

Thanks guys!….an “expert” told me that it was a common Blunt-nosed Viper in a very matter of fact way, and that the bite was fatal with circa 30-40 fatalities each year.
(wonder if he offers advice on BF?)

Needless to say from there on in…I continued my “hunting” on stoney paths, avoiding the long grass on his recommendation!😮

He clearly had a sense of humour/stringy..Bastard!

Earlier this month, an unfortunate holiday maker from Shropshire was bitten by a Blunt-nosed Viper in the grounds of her Paphos hotel, she spent 4 days in the hospital ICU!

 

[Andy Adcock]

No, it's not a constrictor but instead grabs large prey which it forces against the ground to cause asphyxiation. Incidentaly, Blunt-nosed Vipers are on its list of prey!

I knew that but thought I'd read they constricted them.