# 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. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Viperine Snake](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Natrix_maura.jpg&width=800) Photo: User:Haplochromis, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Natrix_maura.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Serpentes - **Family:** Colubridae - **Genus:** Natrix ## 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 - **Viper Mimicry:** Viperine Snake has patterns and a flat head that make it look like a dangerous viper, scaring away predators. - **Amphibious Assassin:** Viperine Snake can hold its breath for long dives to hunt fish and frogs expertly under the water. - **Stinky Shield:** 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 - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-stork) (*Ciconia ciconia*) — Storks sometimes prey on Viperine Snakes found in wetlands. - **Eaten by:** [Grey Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a snake, it's best to watch from a distance and not touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Viperine Snake? Compare the full body pattern, build, head markings and tail. Color can shift with age and lighting. Rules of thumb about triangular heads or round pupils aren't a reliable way to tell whether a snake is venomous. Snake Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Viperine Snake? 50-100 cm ### How much does Viperine Snake weigh? 0.1-0.5 kg ### How long does Viperine Snake live? 8-12 years ### How fast can Viperine Snake move? 2 km/h ### What does Viperine Snake eat? Eats fish, frogs, and other small water animals, making it a super swimmer and hunter! ### How fast can Viperine Snake swim? 8 km/h ### Where is Viperine Snake usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [s’Albufera de Mallorca Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/salbufera-de-mallorca-natural-park) — Illes Balears, ES · Park ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Viperine Snake: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/viperine-snake)