Southern Smooth Snake

Coronella girondica

The Southern Smooth Snake is a gentle snake that loves to hide in the grass. It has smooth, shiny scales and is usually brown or gray. This snake is shy and prefers to stay away from people.

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The Southern Smooth Snake is a slender reptile, typically grey-brown to reddish-brown, often adorned with two rows of dark spots or a subtle zigzag pattern along its back. It has a distinctive dark stripe running from its nostril through its round eye to its neck, helping it blend into its surroundings.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassSquamataOrderSerpentesFamilyColubridaeGenusCoronella

Southern Smooth Snake

Interesting facts

They are called "smooth snakes" because their scales are super sleek and non-keeled!

This harmless snake sometimes plays dead, going stiff and even releasing a scent to fool predators!

This snake loves sunny spots; it warms up its body by basking on rocks and dry grass!

Unlike many snakes, it has round pupils, giving it a gentle, watchful gaze.

Special abilities

Southern Smooth Snakes can flatten their heads and strike when threatened, making them look like a dangerous viper to scare off predators.

Southern Smooth Snakes can powerfully squeeze their prey, wrapping around small lizards and rodents to quickly subdue them before eating.

Southern Smooth Snakes have a dappled brown and grey pattern that helps them vanish into dry grass and rocky areas.

Measurements & details

Length: 40-70 cm
Weight: 0.05-0.2 kg
Lifespan: 8-12 years
Top Speed: 3 km/h
Clutch Size: 4-16
Incubation: 50-70 days

Diet & Feeding

This snake is a carnivore that mostly eats lizards and small mammals!

Age differences: Younger snakes eat more lizards and insects, while adults focus on larger prey like rodents.

Primary Foods

lizards
voles
shrews
young mice

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

hunts

Common Wall Lizard

Podarcis muralis

A favorite meal, ambushed and constricted in sunny spots.

hunts

Common Vole

Microtus arvalis

Preys on these rodents, especially their young, found in burrows.

eaten by

Common Buzzard

Buteo buteo

A common bird of prey that can snatch up snakes from open areas.

eaten by

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

A common predator that can dig up hibernating snakes or catch them.

Traits

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Camouflaged

Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.

Grassland

Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.

Hibernating

Hibernating animals enter a state of metabolic depression during cold periods or when food is scarce, characterized by reduced body temperature and activity.