The maximum length of the viper. Snake viper: appearance, varieties, reproduction in nature. So, about the vipers. What species we live

Vipers - snakes, whose name is identified with evil, it has become a household name for all reptiles ("reptiles"). These reptiles are all the more interesting because they often turn out to be human neighbors, but how little truth people know about them, underestimating and demonizing at the same time. Meanwhile, vipers are some of the most perfect snakes on the planet. They form a separate family of vipers, numbering about 70 species. Their relatives include the same unsympathetic creatures as themselves - cobras and pit-headed snakes, among which there are many dangerous to humans.

The female Moldavian steppe viper (Vipera ursinii moldavica) is an endangered species. The venom of these snakes is so weak that it poses no threat to humans.

Despite the formidable name, vipers are small to medium sized snakes. The smallest of them - the dwarf viper - reaches only 30 cm in length, and the largest - the Gabonese viper (cassava) - can grow up to 2 m.The length of most species lies within 50-75 cm.Flexibility and grace for which it is famous most snakes are not among the virtues of vipers. Their body is short, but thick, the tail is short, but the head is large. If you look at it from above, you can easily see a triangular silhouette common to all vipers, due to the fact that the interception of the neck under the head is narrow, the base of the skull is very wide, and the muzzle is blunt and rapidly tapering towards the end. The body of vipers is covered with small scales, often rough to the touch. This is due to the fact that in many species of vipers, scales have a longitudinal keel. In addition, on the head, individual scales can stand upright, forming a kind of paired or single horns.

Horned viper (Cerastes cerastes).

The color of these snakes is varied, but not flashy. The signature outfit can be considered a light zigzag or rhombic pattern located on the back and sides against the main background, which depends on the habitat of a particular species. In desert and steppe vipers, the background color will be sand, light gray, in forest and bog dwellers, it will be black, dark gray or brown.

The Gabonese viper, or cassava (Bitis gabonica) wears a contrasting outfit of light and dark spots, but this does not prevent it from remaining completely invisible under the dead wood.

Tropical tree vipers are colored bright green to match the everlasting southern vegetation. Some species, such as Nikolsky's viper, wear a gloomy, monochromatic outfit.

The rough tree viper (Atheris squamigera) is bright green in most cases, but occasionally some individuals can be painted in colors unusual for vipers: red, bright yellow, bluish gray.

However, none of the described features reveals to an outside observer the main advantage of vipers - a perfect trapping apparatus. Like all snakes, vipers have a pair of poisonous teeth in the upper jaw, but due to the unique structure of the skull, these teeth, when the mouth is closed, lie in the mouth almost horizontally, with the tips back. This style allows you to have disproportionately long poisonous teeth - a luxury that other snakes can only dream of. In addition, these teeth do not fit in the mouth automatically, but at the whim of their owner. So, a yawning viper is able to open its mouth without showing its weapon, and earthen vipers, on the contrary, know how to put their teeth vertically even with a closed mouth, while they place them on the sides of the lower jaw. Like sharks, teeth change in vipers, and poisonous teeth are replaced with new ones both in an emergency (for example, if an old tooth breaks during an unsuccessful attack), and in a planned manner. The halves of the upper jaw in vipers move independently of one another, which significantly increases the extensibility of the mouth. By the way, the mucous membrane of the mouth of these snakes often has a bluish-purple tint.

Vipers are capable of significant intraspecific variability. All four snakes in this photo are of the gray and brown color forms of the common viper (Vipera berus). In addition to them, this species has individuals of black color.

Very large venom glands, located at the base of the skull, and sometimes in the front of the body, are connected by ducts with venomous teeth. The poison channel runs inside the tooth and opens outward on its front surface, almost at the very tip. Thus, the teeth of the vipers act like syringes, literally injecting poison into the body of the victim, but unlike other snakes, the toxin of the vipers, due to the large length of the tooth, gets into the depths of the tissues. This significantly increases the effectiveness of the bite, so the vipers do not need to acquire any special poisons - the toxicity of these snakes can be described as average.

However, average toxicity does not mean harmlessness at all, because vipers know how to use the strong side of their weapon on a hunt. Unlike other snakes, vipers are phlegmatic and inactive. Crawling, they examine the thickets mainly at night, when they do not have to rely on sight, and during the day they prefer to sit in ambush. Their goal is by no means to catch up with the victim, but to wait until she herself almost steps on the viper. And it does not matter what the size of the animal is - both at potential prey and at potential enemies, vipers rush without delay, bite immediately and truly. Cobras, which warn large (i.e., potentially inedible) animals of their location with a characteristic stance and often make fake throws without a bite, seem noble knights compared to vipers.

Vipers are masters of camouflage. This male of the Greek steppe viper (Vipera ursinii graeca) is not immediately visible among the stones.

The venom of the vipers has a hemolytic effect, that is, when it enters the bloodstream, it destroys red blood cells and releases the hemoglobin contained in them, which in its free form is extremely toxic itself. In addition, the venom of vipers can disrupt blood clotting, and in two ways: when it decreases, the victim's body is affected by hemorrhages, and when it rises, vascular thrombosis occurs. All these delights are enough to kill little animal or a bird in a couple of minutes. As for humans, few (mainly southern) species are mortally dangerous for him.

The favorite food of vipers is murine rodents, lizards and small birds. In search of this prey, they slowly explore the placers of stones, thickets of grass and bushes, hoping to find a hole or nest. As a rule, in such cases, death threatens not only adults, but also chicks and even eggs. However, vipers have a special relationship with birds. In zones of seasonal migration or wintering, these snakes behave like real hunters, organizing "round-ups" for birds. But unlike the beater rangers, the vipers do not move, but sit in the bushes, choosing the most comfortable positions for themselves. Given the high density of birds in such places, regular breakfasts, lunches and dinners are provided for them. It happens that after such a seasonal hunt, a snake, having eaten, can starve for several months without harming itself. The rare spider-tailed viper, discovered only in 2006, is especially cunning. This snake has a thickening with spines at the end of its tail, similar to a spider; wiggling its tail, the predator attracts the bird's attention, and as soon as it approaches, it grabs the prey. Desert species of vipers (dwarf, horned, controversial) are able to bury themselves in the sand, vibrating with their body, such a camouflage significantly increases the likelihood of meeting prey.

The spider-tailed viper (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides) is both enticing and inconspicuous.

To some extent, a viper childhood can correct this unpleasant reputation. At an early age, all vipers (and the smallest species even as adults) feed exclusively on insects, among which the harmful locusts account for a considerable share. Toad vipers, as their name suggests, specialize in eating frogs and toads.

The rhombic toad viper (Causus rhombeatus) lies in the water, waiting to be caught.

It is believed that the ancient homeland of vipers was Africa, from where they came to Europe and Asia, but Australia, which separated early from the African continent, is devoid of vipers. These snakes cannot be found in the North and South America, and in the Old World their distribution is very uneven. Most of the vipers are in Africa, their number and species diversity are quite high in the adjacent regions: in the Near and Middle East, but only a couple of species live in the Far East and Europe. The common viper, which can be found even beyond the Arctic Circle, penetrates farthest north of all. It is clear that such a geographical coverage makes the habitats of vipers very diverse. One or another species can be found in dense forests, on the shores of lakes and rivers, among swamps, in the steppes, jungles, in the mountains at an altitude of about 3000 m, in deserts among loose sands. According to their lifestyle, vipers can be divided into three groups: most species are terrestrial reptiles crawling on a flat surface and avoiding woody vegetation (they can only crawl onto a low bush); the genus of tree vipers is distinguished by a more slender body, these snakes deftly climb trees and even stand still in ambush, imitate a dry twig with their pose; the genus of earthen vipers leads an underground burrowing way of life, on the surface they can be seen only by chance, for example, when digging up soil. Both arboreal and ground vipers live exclusively in Africa.

The southern ground viper (Atractaspis bibronii) lacks the characteristic neck grip and triangular head. This worm-like body shape is an adaptation to living underground.

These snakes are active in the tropics. all year round, in the subtropics and the temperate zone fall into a daze during the winter cold. Vipers hibernate in the soil at a depth of up to 2 m. As shelters, they choose holes of moles and rodents, gullies and voids formed by rotten roots, deep rock crevices, sometimes hiding under haystacks. Winter shelters - main factor, limiting the distribution of the common viper to the north. Where there are few of them, snakes show extraordinary friendliness, sometimes hiding in one place by tens or even hundreds of individuals. Necessity forces them to live peacefully even with potential victims: spindles, toads, newts. But even in the warm season, the vipers are not at enmity with each other, which is explained by their sedentary nature. Usually, the hunting area of ​​the snake is limited to a radius of several hundred meters, in this zone one and the same individual can be found for years. But with a shortage of food, the vipers sometimes make short migrations, moving a couple of kilometers, at such moments snakes can be seen crossing large rivers.

In search of shelters for wintering, lodging, ambushes, vipers are very resourceful and can find them, like this controversial viper (Eristicophis macmahoni), literally out of the blue. In deserts, such sand digging allows snakes to wait out the heat of the day.

Mating in species temperate zone takes place in the spring. During this period, males are actively looking for females, and when they meet, they arrange mating tournaments. The applicants wrap their backs around each other, and raise the front, in this position they push each other with their necks and cheeks, but do not use poisonous teeth. After mating, the male leaves the girlfriend. Pregnancy in different species lasts from 3 to 6 months.

The mating tournament of Nikolsky's vipers (Vipera nikolskii).

Most species of vipers are ovoviviparous. This means that the female bears eggs in her body, and immediately after laying, the baby snakes hatch from them. It happens that the cubs leave the egg while still in the genital tract of the female. Some primitive viper species lay eggs, but even then their maturation period is rather short. It is noteworthy that in many species of vipers, embryos in the mother's body form a primitive placenta, in this regard, vipers are closer to people than birds. The fertility of these snakes varies widely: the smallest species give birth to 2-15 snakes, the large ones can make the world happy with 40-70 offspring at once. Newborns are poisonous from the first hours of life, but due to their small size, they can use their weapons so far only against spiders and insects. These snakes reach sexual maturity by 2-5 years, small species live up to 7-8 years, and large ones - up to 14-15 (in captivity up to 22).

The moment of delivery of the noisy viper (Bitis arietans).

Despite the poisonousness of vipers, there are many animals in nature that can somehow escape a fatal bite. Hedgehogs, which are immune to snake venom, are very fond of hunting them. Other animals - foxes, badgers, ferrets, sand cats, mongooses, meerkats - take agility. It is difficult for vipers to resist danger from the air, when the feathered predator dives quickly and stuns a snake that has been crushed in the sun with one blow of its beak. Thus, they often end up in the beaks of eagles, harriers, kites, storks, owls, ravens, secretary birds and, especially, snake-eaters. The steppe vipers have a personal enemy - the lizard snake. She hunts her own kind and can eat 2-3 vipers at a time.

Vipers do not have special means of protection. Once caught, they wriggle desperately, make lightning-fast full-length throws and try to bite the offender. The noisy viper uses a technique somewhat reminiscent of the self-defense of cobras: it inflates its body (although it does not have a hood) and hisses very loudly, for which it got its name. It is noteworthy that this sound does not come from the snake's throat at all - the vocal cords are replaced by scales. Wriggling, the viper rubs one side against the other, this friction and generates a hiss. The chained viper (daboya), Avicenna's viper, and the horned viper have the same frightening "voice", born in the same way. But there are among these snakes and cowards. Inhabiting deserts, tailed vipers, beam-browed vipers, Palestinian and dwarf vipers do not rely on their own strength and flee at the slightest danger. It is interesting that when fleeing, they use a special method of movement - a side course. In this case, the snake rests on the surface with the front and rear ends of the body, and throws the middle part of the body to the side, then, relying on it, moves the head and tail, and so on. At the critical moment of the chase, such a movement can develop into a series of virtuoso side jumps. The ability to bury themselves in the sand also helps desert vipers escape from pursuit. But the largest Gabonese viper is peaceful. Once caught, she does not resist, and it takes a lot of effort to anger her.

Pygmy viper (Bitis peringueyi).

It must be said that the bad fame of these snakes is greatly exaggerated, because even the bites of the most dangerous Gabonese and chain vipers are fatal only in 15-20% of cases. When bitten by an ordinary viper - the most common representative of the family in middle lane- growing pain develops, severe swelling that does not subside for several days or even weeks, dizziness, but, as a rule, these unpleasant symptoms are limited to. Death occurs in 1% of cases, and even then only under the confluence of unfavorable circumstances (most often small children die, bitten in the face). Knowing the habits of vipers, it is not difficult to prevent an unpleasant meeting: being in dense thickets, you need to carefully look at your feet; do not explore with bare hands the space under stones, hollows, stumps; when meeting with a viper, do not try to crush it with your feet, it is better to throw it aside with a long stick or simply leave - a slow snake will never chase you. In case of a bite, the victim must be taken to the hospital, a tonic drink (tea) should be given on the road, a cold compress can be applied to the site of the bite to reduce pain and swelling. It is unacceptable to pull the bitten limb, moxibustion; due to the great depth of the viper bite, it is also ineffective to suck out (squeeze out) the poison. With competently provided assistance, recovery occurs in 2-5 days, with self-medication, it can drag on for several weeks.

Extensive hematomas (hemorrhages) caused by a common viper bite.

The viper toxin also has a downside. Due to its ability to increase blood clotting, some types of poison are used in diagnostic practice and for the manufacture of hemostatic drugs. The effectiveness of these drugs is so high that they are prescribed even to patients with hemophilia, for whom conventional clotting drugs do not help. The role of vipers in agriculture... On the one hand, the bites of these snakes lead to the death of small livestock (this happens in remote areas of pasture cattle breeding), on the other hand, this harm is compensated by the benefits from the destruction of rodents and locusts. It should be noted that although the ranges of vipers are extensive, among them there are many small species listed in the international and national Red Data Books. These include steppe, Caucasian, Asia Minor and nosed vipers. So, if you happen to meet one of these snakes, do not kill it - this will demonstrate not only environmental literacy, but also help to save biological diversity our planet.

Nitsche tree viper (Atheris nitschei).

Poisonous snakes from the viper family have perfectly adapted to existence in any climatic conditions and landscapes. Vipers live in Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa, North and South America. Vipers do not live only in Australia, New Zealand and other islands of Oceania.

Basically, vipers lead sedentary life, occasionally making forced migrations to winter habitats, which are several kilometers along the way. Most vipers spend summers basking in the sun or hiding in the heat under stones, upturned tree roots and in crevices of rocks.

Where and how do viper snakes winter?

Wintering of vipers begins in October-November. For winter “apartments”, various burrows are selected that go into the ground to a depth of 2 m, where the air temperature is above zero. With a high population density, several hundred individuals often accumulate in one burrow. The duration of wintering depends on the area: northern species of vipers winter up to 9 months a year, inhabitants of temperate latitudes come to the surface in March-April and immediately begin to reproduce.

Viper venom - snakebite effects and symptoms

Viper venom is considered potentially dangerous to humans, and the bite of some members of the viper family can be fatal and fatal.

Nevertheless, the viper venom has found its use, because it is a valuable raw material for the manufacture of medicines and even cosmetics. The venom is a cocktail of proteins, lipids, peptides, amino acids, sugar and salt inorganic origin... Preparations obtained from the venom of the viper are used as an analgesic for neuralgia and rheumatism, for hypertension and skin diseases, for relieving asthma attacks, for inflammatory processes and bleeding.

The viper venom enters the human or animal body through the lymph nodes and instantly enters the bloodstream. The consequences of a viper bite are manifested by burning pain, redness and swelling form around the wound, which disappear after 2-3 days without any serious consequences. In case of severe intoxication of the body, 15-20 minutes after the viper bite, the following symptoms appear: the bitten one feels dizziness, nausea, chills, palpitations. With an increased concentration of toxic substances, fainting, convulsions and coma occur.

Viper bite - first aid

What to do if bitten by a viper:

• First of all, immediately after the bite of the viper, be sure to provide the bitten organ (usually the limbs) with rest by fixing it with the likeness of a splint or, for example, simply tying the hand in a bent position with a handkerchief. Limit any active movement in order to avoid the rapid spread of the viper's venom throughout the body.
• A viper bite is dangerous and can be fatal to humans, therefore, in any case, regardless of the severity of the victim's condition, an ambulance should be called!
• Pressing your fingers at the bite site, try to slightly open the wound and suck out the poison. This can be done with the mouth, periodically spitting saliva, but the method is permissible only if there is no damage to the oral mucosa in the form of cracks, scratches or sores. You can try to reduce the concentration of poison in the wound using a regular glass beaker, using it on the principle of setting medical jars. The suction of the poison is carried out continuously for 15-20 minutes.
• Then the viper bite should be disinfected with any available means: cologne, vodka, alcohol, iodine, and a clean, slightly pressing bandage should be applied.
• If possible, it is advisable to take an antihistamine tablet to reduce the allergic reaction to the viper venom.
• Take as much liquid as possible - weak tea, water, but give up coffee: this drink increases blood pressure and increases anxiety.
• In case of a serious injury, as first aid after a viper bite, a person is given artificial respiration and prolonged heart massage.

Sometimes vipers are confused with representatives of the narrow-like family - snakes and coppers, which often leads to the killing of innocent animals. You can distinguish a poisonous snake from a harmless one by a number of signs.

How is it different from a viper? Similarities and differences of snakes

Oh - this is not poisonous snake, the viper is poisonous and deadly to humans. The similarity between a snake and a viper is obvious: both snakes can have a similar color and meet a person in a forest, in a meadow or next to a body of water. And yet these reptiles have certain characteristics by which they can be distinguished:

• The appearance of the snake and the black viper is different, despite the same skin color. Have common snake there are 2 yellow or orange spots on the head, similar to miniature ears, and the viper does not have such marks.

• It is not worth focusing solely on the color of the snakes, since both snakes and vipers can be similar in color. For example, the color of a water snake can be olive, brown or black, with various spots. In addition, the black water snake does not have yellow markings on its head, which can be easily confused with a viper. The viper can also be olive, black or brown in color, with a variety of spots scattered throughout the body.

• And yet, if you look closely at the spots, you can see the following difference between snakes: in snakes, spots on the body are staggered, many species of vipers have a zigzag strip on the back that runs along the entire body, and spots are also on the sides of the body.

• Another difference between a snake and a viper is that the pupil of the viper is vertical, in snakes it is round.

• In the mouth of the viper there are sharp teeth, which are clearly visible when the snake opens its mouth. Snakes have no teeth.

• Longer than a viper. The body length of a snake is usually 1-1.3 meters. The length of the viper usually varies between 60-75 cm, although there are species reaching 3-4 meters (bushmaster). In addition, the vipers look much more plump.
• The tail of the viper is shortened and thick, in snakes it is thinner and longer. In addition, in vipers, the transition from body to tail is clearly pronounced.
• Vipers differ from snakes in the triangular shape of the skull with clearly marked superciliary arches; in snakes, the skull is oval-ovoid.

• The anus plate of the viper is one-piece, and in the snake it consists of 2 scales.
• When meeting people, the snakes try to retreat and hide, the viper will most likely show complete indifference or aggression if you step on this poisonous snake or just touch it.
• Snakes love damp habitats, so they can often be found near bodies of water, where they swim and catch frogs. Vipers feed mainly, therefore they choose other habitats: forests, steppes, dense grass.

• The viper is a poisonous snake, the copperhead is not poisonous.
• Many vipers have a dark-colored zigzag stripe running along the back, while the copperhead has a pattern of specks or dark spots on the back. But there are also black vipers that do not have stripes.

• The viper's head has a triangular shape with pronounced arches above the eyes. Copperheads have a narrow, elongated head.
• In the mouth of the viper there are teeth with which the snake bites the prey. Copperheads have no teeth.
• The pupil of the copperhead is round, while in the viper it is vertically slit-like.

• The anal shield of the copperhead consists of a pair of scales, but in the viper it is solid.
• Having noticed a person, the copperhead will hasten to hide in the shelter, the viper will either not pay attention to the person, or will start an offensive.

• There are teeth in the mouth of the viper and the snake, but the bite of the poisonous viper is dangerous and can lead to death, and the bite of the snake, although it causes pain, does not pose a mortal danger, since the snake does not have poison glands.
• In the viper, the head and body are separated by a shortened bridge imitating the neck; in the snake, the cervical intercept is absent.
• The back of most vipers is either solid, black, or has a dark strip running in a zigzag along the entire back. The color of the runner can be monotonous, with transverse dark spots on the back or in a net.

• The snake has a distinctive pattern on the top of the skull - a dark stripe between the eyes; the viper does not have such a decoration.
• The viper is much shorter and looks more plump than the snake. Snakes can grow up to 1.5 meters in length, and the standard size of vipers is 60-70 cm. Only the largest vipers have a body length of up to 2 meters.

Types of vipers - photo and description

The modern classification distinguishes 4 subfamilies of vipers:

• pit vipers, they are also rattlesnakes or rattlesnakes (Crotalinae): they are distinguished by the presence of 2 infrared pits, which are located in the depression between the eyes and nostrils;
• toad vipers(Causinae): belong to the oviparous type of snakes, which is rare among all members of the family;
• viper(Viperinae) - the most numerous subfamily, whose representatives live even in the Arctic (common viper);
• azemiopinae- a subfamily represented by a single genus and species - the Burmese fairy viper.

To date, science knows 292 species of vipers. Below are several varieties of these snakes:

• Common viper (Vipera berus)

a relatively small representative of the family: the body length is usually in the range of 60-70 cm, however, in the northern part of the range there are individuals over 90 cm long. Vipers range in weight from 50 to 180 grams, with females being slightly larger than males. The head is large, slightly flattened, the muzzle is rounded. The color is quite changeable and multifaceted: the color of the main background of the back is black, light gray, yellow-brown, reddish-brown, bright copper. In most specimens, there is a pronounced pattern in the form of a zigzag strip along the back. The belly of the viper is gray, brown-gray or black, sometimes supplemented with whitish spots. The tip of the tail is often colored bright yellow, reddish, or orange. This species of vipers has a fairly wide habitat. The common viper lives in the forest belt of Eurasia - it is found from the territories of Great Britain and France to the western regions of Italy and eastern Korea. Feels comfortable in hot Greece, Turkey and Albania, while penetrating beyond the Arctic Circle - it is found in Lapland and in countries on the coast of the Barents Sea. On the territory of Russia, the common viper lives in Siberia, Transbaikalia and the Far East.

• Nosed viper(Vipera ammodytes)

differs from other species by a soft, sharp, scaly outgrowth on the tip of the muzzle, resembling a snub nose. The length of the viper is 60-70 cm (sometimes 90 cm). The body color is gray, sandy or reddish-brown (depending on the species); a zigzag dark stripe or a series of diamond-shaped stripes runs along the back. The viper inhabits rocky landscapes from Italy, Serbia and Croatia to Turkey, Syria and Georgia.

• Steppe viper (western steppe viper) ( Vipera ursinii )

a poisonous snake that lives in the plain and mountain steppes, in alpine meadows, in ravines and semi-deserts. Steppe vipers are found in the countries of southern and southeastern Europe (in France, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Albania), in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia (in the Caucasus, in the southern part of Siberia, Rostov region, Altai). The length of the viper with a tail reaches 64 cm, females are larger than males. The color of the snake is brown-gray; a dark brown or black zigzag stripe runs along the ridge. Dark spots are scattered on the sides of the body.

• Horned keffiyeh(Trimeresurus cornutus, Protobothrops cornutus)

It stands out among its congeners with small horns located above the eyes. The body of a viper up to 60-80 cm long is painted in a creamy green color and is dotted with dark brown spots. The snake spends almost all its life in trees and bushes, descending to the ground only for mating. The horned keffiyeh is a typical inhabitant of the south and southeast of Asia, living in China, India and Indonesia.

• Burmese Fairy Viper, or chinese viper(Azemiops feae)

oviparous species, very rare among vipers. I didn't get my name thanks to fairytale character, and in honor of the zoologist Leonardo Fea. The length of the viper is about 80 cm. On the head of the snake there are large shields, like those of snakes. The top of the body is greenish-brown, the bottom is cream, the head is most often yellow color, there are yellow stripes on the sides. Found in Central Asia in southeastern Tibet, Burma, China and Vietnam.

• Noisy viper(Bitis arietans)

one of the most beautiful and most dangerous species of African vipers. The bite of a noisy viper is fatal in 4 out of 5 cases. The snake got its name for the indignant hiss, published in case of danger. The body of the viper is disproportionately thick with a girth of up to 40 cm and a length of about 2 m. The color of the viper can be golden yellow, dark beige or red-brown. Along the body there is a pattern consisting of 2 dozen brown marks in the form of the Latin letter U. The noisy viper lives throughout Africa (with the exception of the equator), as well as in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

• (Bitis nasicornis)

It is distinguished by a special decoration on the face, consisting of 2-3 vertically protruding scales. The body is thick, can reach a length of 1.2 m, and is covered with a beautiful pattern. On the back there are blue trapezoid patterns with a yellow border, connected by black rhombuses. The sides are covered with black triangles, alternating with olive-colored rhombuses with a red border. The viper's head with bright blue “cheeks” is covered with black arrows with yellow edging. Prefers to settle in the humid, swampy forests of Equatorial Africa.

• Kaisaka, or labaria (Bothrops atrox)

the largest spearhead viper, growing up to 2.5 m in length. A distinctive feature of the kaisaki is the lemon-yellow color of the chin, due to which the snake was nicknamed “yellow beard”. The slender body is covered with gray or brown skin with a diamond pattern on the back. Kaisaka is found throughout Central America, Argentina and the coastal islands of South America.

• Rhombic rattlesnake(Crotalus adamanteus)

the record holder among rattlesnakes in the number of "milkings" of poison (660 mg from one snake). A large viper can grow over 2 m in length and weigh over 15 kg. Along the back, painted in brown tones, there is a sequence of 24-35 black, diamond-shine rhombs with a light yellow border. This viper lives only in the United States: from Florida to New Orleans.

• Gyurza, or levantine viper(Macrovipera lebetina)

the most dangerous and poisonous viper, the poison of which is second only to poison in toxicity. It belongs to the oviparous type of snake. The body length of an adult viper can reach 2 meters, the weight of the viper is 3 kg. The body color is gray-brown, with a dark spot, subject to variability within the range. Some individuals are distinguished by a black body with a purple tint. The viper is widespread in dry foothill areas, as well as on the outskirts of large cities in North-West Africa, Asia, Transcaucasia, Dagestan and Kazakhstan.

• Dwarf African viper ( Bitis peringueyi)

the smallest viper in the world, the body length of an adult does not exceed 20-25 cm. Due to its modest body size, it is relatively without dangerous species vipers that live in the deserts of Namibia and Angola.

• Bushmaster or surukuku ( Lachesis muta)

the biggest viper in the world, rare view, reaching a length of 3-4 meters with a body weight of 3 to 5 kg. Inhabits wet rainforests South and Central America.

Unfortunately, there are no universal distinctive features by which you can distinguish dangerous snakes from non-poisonous. Therefore, it will be useful for every person, especially a lover of walks in nature, to learn how to identify the species of snakes living in his region.
On the territory of Russia, there are not so many snakes that are dangerous to humans.

The list is headed by gyurza, which is widespread in North Africa, most of the Middle and Far East. On the territory of Russia, it can be found in Dagestan. This large snake it is not for nothing that biologists belong to the genus of giant vipers: adult females reach 150 cm long... Males are usually slightly smaller. The snake has a wide triangular head, the muzzle is round and blunt when viewed from above.

The head is usually evenly colored, although it can sometimes be marked with a dark V-shaped pattern. Body color can be gray, brown, beige, pinkish, olive. Against this background, a darker pattern is visible - gray, gray, reddish or brown, it can consist of a continuous pattern along the spine or two rows of large spots forming a continuous zigzag line.

This reptile is active both day and night (mainly in hot weather). It can be found both in rocky mountainous areas and in the forest and in the steppe. She needs only two conditions - a large number of rodents and a pond in the neighborhood. Gyurza is capable of making lightning throws to the length of its own body, breaking free from the hands of even experienced snake-catchers and injecting up to 50 mg with a bite. the most dangerous poison, so it's better not to mess with her. Snake venom has a strong hemolytic effect: it destroys blood cells and blood vessels. The victim of an attack of gyurza feels weakness, dizziness. The bitten limb swells up and takes on a purple-blue hue with foci of necrosis. Urgent medical care is needed here, because in case of delay, the probability of a fatal outcome is about 20%.

A smaller, but more common in our latitudes, relative of the gyurza is the viper. The common viper boasts one of the widest habitats among snakes, from the islands of foggy Albion to the Pacific coast of Asia, from the Arctic to Mediterranean Sea... These snakes love to live in forests and wetlands. Open glades and slopes ideal for sunbathing are important components their preferred habitat. The rest of the time they like to hide in dense grass. Vipers are born 16-18 cm in length and can reach up to 80 cm... The color can be varied: from light gray or brownish with a dark zigzag pattern along the back to absolutely black. The abdominal plates are black or gray. This snake has a triangular head and vertical pupils.

Usually in the wild they live 10 to 15 years, however, spend a good half of this period in suspended animation. They usually hibernate from September or October, using the abandoned burrows of other animals for this. One such shelter can contain up to a hundred vipers. In warmer climates, winter sleep times can be shorter. The viper is mainly diurnal, especially in the northern part of its habitat. But the further south you go, the more active it is in the evening and at night.

A viper bite is usually not fatal to an adult, but dangerous to children and pets. In any case, after a bite, you should immediately resort to a professional medical care otherwise, even healthy adults can experience the unpleasant effects of exposure to poison for up to several months.

Viper Bite Symptoms - Immediate and strong pain, swelling and tingling sensation. Further, nausea, abdominal colic and diarrhea, urinary incontinence, sweating, fever, vasoconstriction, tachycardia, loss of consciousness, temporary blindness, swelling of the face, lips, gums, tongue, throat may appear. In severe cases, cardiovascular failure may develop. If untreated, these symptoms can persist for up to 48 hours.

The Caucasian viper, also known as Kaznakov's viper, is a much rarer but also more dangerous species of viper. It is endemic to the Caucasus, inhabiting the territories of Russia, Georgia and Turkey. This snake reaches length up to 60 cm, the wedge-shaped head is visually different from the neck. Unlike the modest coloration of other vipers, the Caucasian vipers have pronounced reddish and orange elements. Along the spine there is a wide, black or brown zigzag stripe. Juveniles boast a bright reddish-brown coloration that reaches its maximum intensity after the first wintering. Melanists are very rare.

This species settles on wooded mountain slopes, in humid ravines and on the edges of meadows. On the Black Sea coast, it comes out of hibernation in March, but at altitudes over 600 m above sea level it appears in the second half of April or early May. Breeds from late March to mid-May. Hibernation begins in early November (for coastal areas), and in late - early October for highland populations.

The Caucasian viper can live up to 900 meters above sea level. Even higher (up to 3000 meters above sea level) there is a snake similar in appearance and biology, described as separate species only at the end of the 20th century - Dinnik's viper.

The steppe viper is a venomous snake that lives from southeastern France to China. Her body length reaches 50 cm... Most often inhabits open meadows and hillsides, well-drained rocky mountain slopes, although it can also be found in wet meadows and marshy areas. In color, it is similar to the common viper: its light gray or brown body is decorated with intricate zigzags and spots on the sides. Its head has a slightly elongated shape, and the edges of the muzzle are raised.

The snake is active from April - May to November and leaves the winter shelter no earlier than the temperature rises above 5-8 C. The consequences of a bite by a steppe viper are similar to those of a common viper bite.

Another poisonous snake that lives in Russia is the common snake, also known as the Pallas snake. Interesting feature this snake lies in the fact that it is able to capture the heat radiation of its prey. He possesses dull color, grayish or brown, with transverse dark spots along the back and smaller markings on the sides. The tip of the wide muzzle is slightly turned up, and between the nostrils and eyes of the muzzle are noticeable depressions: there are its heat-sensitive organs. Body length is up to 70 cm.

The shitomordnik is found in Central Asia, North China, Korea and Mongolia. Within Russia, it can be found in the Lower Volga region, Southern Siberia and the Far East.

When choosing a place of residence, the shitomordnik is unpretentious. Forests and steppes, semi-deserts and subalpine meadows, banks and swampy floodplains of rivers are suitable for him. He is also promiscuous in the daily routine: he can be active both day and night.
The snake bite is usually not fatal, although it is dangerous if you have heart and kidney problems. Like the venom of the viper, the venom of the snake snake disrupts the circulatory system, but it also contains neurotoxins. It usually causes a rather serious condition that can last a whole week. And a wound from a bite sometimes does not heal for more than a month.

Copperhead is a snake, the danger of which is talked about much more than it deserves. Its habitat extends throughout Europe to the very Western Siberia... She belongs to the order of the already-shaped, although in appearance it resembles a viper. The color of the copperhead is dull gray, brown or brick-reddish with a dark, sometimes completely dull pattern along the back. She usually has a mark on her head that is sometimes described as a "butterfly" or "heart". Another characteristic feature is dark stripes running horizontally along the line of the eyes. The pupils of this snake are round, unlike vipers, and the iris of the eyes can be reddish.

In principle, copperhead is safe for humans, although it can bite to blood with the front, non-toxic teeth. Poisonous teeth are too deep in the mouth, so that they are dangerous only for the prey that the copperhead can immediately swallow. In addition, it produces little poison, and it is much less toxic than viper.

What if bitten by a snake?

In case of a poisonous snake bite, it is best to see a doctor as soon as possible. Other measures to take:

1. If possible, suck the poison out of the wound, periodically rinsing your mouth with water (this measure is effective within the first 5-10 minutes). Be careful if there are wounds in your mouth, there is a risk of poison getting to you, in no case do not swallow it!
2. Immobilize the affected body part.
3. Remove everything that can squeeze the limb in case of edema.
4. Drinking more - this will help remove the poison from the body.

You should never do the following:

• Cauterize or expand the wound: as a result of the bite, the poison gets to a depth of several centimeters and cannot be eliminated by such methods.
• Tourniquet application: This can lead to necrosis and subsequent amputation.
• Drinking alcohol: it will slow down the elimination of poison from the body.
• Drinking coffee: its stimulating effect will be superfluous.

The viper is a rather peaceful snake that rarely attacks a person, and does this in case of danger. She usually tries to avoid meeting a person. It can often be found in our forests. To provoke her to aggression, you need to either grab her with your hands, or step on her with your foot. This is a poisonous snake, the bite of which, although not fatal, is rather painful. Very rare, but complications from the bite can develop. Let us consider in more detail what the consequences of a viper bite can be.

Survival odds

The viper lives on a huge territory. You can meet her in dense grass, near water bodies, in the forest, that is, where there are rodents that the snake feeds on. Can you die from her bite? It is possible, but this happens extremely rarely, since the power of their poison is not designed for humans... It is adapted only for rodents.

A viper bite will be fatal to humans in the following cases:

• in the presence of a strong allergic reaction to proteins of the viper venom;
• if the snake has bitten in the cervical artery, head or neck, and the person has developed an increased allergic reaction to poison, but not as strong as in the first case;
• providing the wrong bite help.

Consequences of a bite

The effect of the venom released by the bite wears hemolytic character... Usually, edema occurs at the site of the bite, which is accompanied by pain and multiple minor hemorrhages. In addition, there is a likelihood of developing vascular thrombosis, as well as hemorrhage of internal organs.

On the damaged area appear two deep wounds left by the teeth of a viper. The blood is baked in them rather quickly, which eliminates the likelihood of further bleeding. The tissues surrounding the wound acquire a bluish tint and they begin to swell. In the case when the snake has bitten in the hand, after a while the patient's fingers begin to bend with difficulty due to edema, which can spread even to the elbow.

In addition, the consequences of a viper bite include:

• chills;
• increased body temperature;
• nausea.

Sometimes these symptoms are added to the deterioration of the heart muscle, dizziness or vomiting. All this is the result disruption of the entire circulatory system... The victim may have a decrease in blood pressure, develop internal bleeding, the person weakens, and sometimes loses consciousness. In more severe cases, convulsions appear, and excitability increases. Unfortunately, a person can die from such complications. The lethal outcome occurs after 30 minutes, although there were cases when death occurred a day later.

In our country, you can find only the common viper, the bite of which is almost never fatal. Most often, a person returns to their previous life after a few weeks.

First aid for a bite

What to do if a person is bitten by a viper? In this case, it must be carried away from the place where it happened as soon as possible, since there is a high probability that there may be several snakes. After this, the victim must be laid in such a way that he the head was located below the level of the pelvis, and the legs were raised... This ensures normal blood circulation and reduces the likelihood of developing complications in the brain.

It is necessary to carefully examine the bitten site. If the snake has bitten through the clothing, then it should be removed, as the fabric can contain a large amount of poison. In the event that the droplets of poison are near the wound, then they are carefully wiped off, otherwise they can get into the blood. It should be remembered that after a snakebite, you must act very quickly, since the patient's life depends on it.

Then you need to firmly grasp the wound with your hands and press on it so that the poison flows out. Then you should try to open the wound and start actively suck out poison spitting it out periodically. If there is little saliva, you can put some water in your mouth and continue your actions. If everything is done correctly, then in 15 minutes it will be possible to remove half of the poison from the victim's body. The person helping should not be afraid of the risk of infection, even if there are minor abrasions or wounds in their mouth.

If there is no one to help the victim, then you will have to try to suck the poison yourself.

If swelling occurs, then the wound needs treat with antiseptic solutions... In this case, it is better not to use brilliant green, because it will not allow doctors to carefully examine the wound. The injured limb should be fixed. It is advisable to lay the victim on a stretcher and immobilize, since any movement contributes to increased blood circulation and a greater spread of poison.

A sterile dressing soaked in hydrogen peroxide is applied to the wound. The victim should be given as much water as possible to drink, because the liquid helps to reduce the concentration of the poison. Before the arrival of doctors, it is necessary to monitor a person's condition by measuring his body temperature and pressure.

Help from doctors

Usually, doctors use a snakebite Anti-viper drug specially designed to neutralize the action and completely remove snake venom from the body. Improvement after administration of serum occurs within a few hours. It is advisable to spend this time under the supervision of a doctor who will help you choose other effective means to treat the effects of a viper bite.

Further treatment is carried out based on the existing symptoms. The patient may be prescribed analgesic, antipyretic or anti-inflammatory drugs. Also, the doctor may prescribe medications that normalize the heart rate and blood clotting.

What should not be done if a viper bites?

In order not to harm yourself and not cause complications, you should know what you cannot do after being bitten by a poisonous snake:

• It is forbidden to cut the wound, because this can easily cause infection, damage muscles, and also provoke severe bleeding. In severe cases, the victim may even die, but not from the action of the poison, but from blood loss.
• You cannot cauterize the wound with anything, because this will not help burn out the poison, but you can burn your muscles.
• It is forbidden to water the wound with various acids (sulfuric acid, caustic potassium, etc.), as this can lead to sad consequences.
• It is not recommended to wrap the affected limb too much, because after the bite it swells, and a tight bandage will only impair blood circulation.
• A bandage should not be applied above the affected area, as this contributes to the development of gangrene and other complications in which tissue death occurs and blood stagnation occurs.
• It is forbidden to inject the injured place with painkillers and other drugs. In general, until the doctors arrive, you cannot inject any medicine into a person.
• Should not be given to the victim alcoholic drinks, because they are not an antidote, but only enhance the effect of the poison.

Bite prevention

Prevention of viper bites consists in the implementation of the following recommendations:

Thus, if a person is bitten by a viper, then this practically does not lead to death, but the victim should definitely consult a doctor. If he is negligent about this and does not go to the clinic, then serious complications such as kidney failure can develop, and sometimes this can lead to death.

Species: Vipera berus = Common viper (development and behavior of young vipers)

I must point out that the viper is born evil and remains evil for the rest of his life. Little vipers, just hatched from an egg and still wet, hissed and bite angrily when I touched them, but I must admit that not all are born with the same anger, there are always calmer ones, even between the babies of the same mother. It is especially amusing to observe how small, barely hatched vipers, who are just beginning to crawl and get acquainted with the light, usually do not forget to open their mouths from time to time, stick out their deadly weapon - poisonous teeth - expand the back of their heads and prepare for an reprehensible trade.

Immediately after birth, they are from 18 to 23 cm in length or slightly more, and in the middle of the body they have a centimeter of thickness. The head, scutes, scales, teeth, etc., are arranged like in adults, but the whole body is covered with a very thin, transparent and loose skin, which makes the body color seem paler. A few minutes or hours after birth, they peel off this skin from themselves, just like adults; so the line is the first important matter their lives. Among the little vipers born to me, I always found only a fifth of the males, however, and in those born free you always meet many more females than males, while between adults the number of females and males is the same. What could be the cause of this phenomenon?

It should also be noted that vipers do not have a trace of parental love, love of cubs for parents and cubs among themselves. Immediately after birth, each little viper goes its own way, not at all requiring the care of the mother, who herself does not pay attention to the cubs at all: the vipers of the same litter do not show any connection with each other. You always meet little vipers one by one, and each is very well aware of its strength and shows a lot of courage. However, do they already have the lethal poison inherent in adults, at least to a lesser extent? This question deserves a careful study. To do this, I took out a cub from the body of the murdered mother, which was supposed to be born five days later, then I pierced his head several times with a needle in the place where the poisonous glands are located, and with this needle I wounded the crossbill, which did not suffer from this at all.

I repeated this experiment with another small viper and another crossbill and got the same result. Soon after, I put the mouse in the box, where there were 16 vipers born to me, about six days old. At first, the mouse did not show fear at all, but, running back and forth across the box, she heard a quiet but angry hiss everywhere: all the vipers looked at her menacingly and bit her when they could. She tried to avoid danger, running from side to side, but received ten bites, of which the strongest were in the face and on the left. back leg... Twice it even happened that the little viper bit into the mouse so hard that it dragged it along for some time. I then took the mouse out of the box, it limped and strenuously cleaned its hind leg and muzzle; then she began to weaken, but after that she lived for about an hour and, finally, died. I put another mouse in the box with 24 young vipers, and the same happened to him as to the first ?.

Other observations confirm this. From Kirsch's experiments, it turns out that vipers, a few minutes after hatching from an egg, can already injure fatally. Petri made a great contribution to the study of the development of vipers. This observer received an adult viper, which one of his friends wanted to kill with a stick, and inflicted such severe damage on it that the animal did not move for several hours. By the bright eyes of the viper, Petri realized that she was still alive and took her to the cage with snakes, began to use revitalizing agents, sprinkled fresh well water and especially abundantly watered the wounded place on her back. By noon the next day, he found the snake in its natural position, curled up a little, and after eight days it became as vigorous and bite as any other snake. Almost a month after this, the viper gave birth to ten cubs in one day, of which four were dead, and the rest soon died.

The next night, the snake gave birth to another cub, which, like other animals of this species, bite especially angrily and lived with its mother in the same cage, but on December 6 died from exhaustion. But on December 12, to his considerable surprise, Petri found three cubs in the cage again, although dead, but fully developed, which the old viper could give birth only on the last cold days, since one of the cubs was still in soft, bloody mucus. Thus, 15 weeks after the first litter, the viper produced three more fully matured pups. Petri explains this amazing fact quite rightly by the injury of the mother and the supposed position of the three eggs that their development had to stop until the wound was completely healed.