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| Viper |
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There are a few species of viper (vipera), two of which are common in Italy. Vipers are dangerous as they have venom in their fangs which can cause severe pain and a great amount of tissue damage, or worse (especially to young children and older people, the bite can be fata). Contact the emergency services immeidately if bitten! You can distinguish a viper by the shape of its head as it is usually triangular/spade like and is wider than the rest of its body. Long-nosed Adder (Vipera ammodytes)
This snake is quite small in size (grows to anything between 45cm-90cm approx), it can be brown, grey or even a reddish colour usually with a dark zigzag pattern along the lenght of its back and it often has a dark stripe behind each eye. It can be found living in rocky slopes, farms and cultivated land and open fields. Its bite is hemotoxic; causing excruciating pain and tissue damage and even death! Pallas Viper (Agistroydon halys) This snake is again fairly small in size (similar to that of the Long-nosed Adder), and can be grey, tan or even yellow in colour with a dark pattern of thick wavey/horizontal stripes down the length of its back. Although its bite is hemotoxic, it is quite a timid snake and therefore rarely strikes. It can be found mainly in farm land and open fields. If you are bitten by this snake you still need urgent medical attention.
If a viper is defending itself or about to attack, it will often flatten its head and neck and hiss loudly swinging itself out towards its predator as it it is about to strike (or it may well strike!!).
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