Viperine Snake

Natrix maura

The Viperine Snake is a smooth, non-venomous snake that loves to swim! It has a special ability to blend in with its surroundings, making it a great little sneaky friend in nature.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Viperine Snake has a stocky body with keeled scales, usually grey, olive, or brownish with dark blotches or a zig-zag pattern along its back. Its triangular head and patterned skin make it visually similar to a venomous viper, though it is harmless.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassSquamataOrderSerpentesFamilyColubridaeGenusNatrix

Viperine Snake

Interesting facts

It has no venom and is completely harmless to humans!

Their rough scales help them grip slippery prey, even underwater!

This snake can play dead, flopping lifelessly to trick predators!

Viperine Snakes spend most of their lives near freshwater rivers and ponds.

Special abilities

Viperine Snake has patterns and a flat head that make it look like a dangerous viper, scaring away predators.

Viperine Snake can hold its breath for long dives to hunt fish and frogs expertly under the water.

Viperine Snake can release a foul-smelling liquid from its glands when threatened, deterring predators.

Measurements & details

Length: 50-100 cm
Weight: 0.1-0.5 kg
Lifespan: 8-12 years
Top Speed: 2 km/h
Swim Speed: 8 km/h
Clutch Size: 5-25
Incubation: 40-70 days
Maximum Depth: 3 m

Diet & Feeding

Eats fish, frogs, and other small water animals, making it a super swimmer and hunter!

Age differences: Young snakes primarily eat tadpoles and smaller aquatic invertebrates.

Primary Foods

Small Fish
Frogs
Tadpoles
Newts
Toads

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

eaten by

White Stork

Ciconia ciconia

Storks sometimes prey on Viperine Snakes found in wetlands.

eaten by

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

Herons are common predators of these aquatic snakes.

hunts

European Chub

Squalius cephalus

The snake preys on various freshwater fish, including chub.

hunts

Iberian Water Frog

Pelophylax perezi

Frogs are a frequent and important part of its diet.

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.

Piscivorous

Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.