The most beautiful snakes on our planet. Types and names of snakes, photos If poison gets into a person’s blood, it is necessary

In this article we will talk about what types of snakes exist, as well as what are the characteristics and lifestyle of their various species. Snakes are a suborder of the class of reptiles. They differ from other reptiles in their elongated body, as well as the absence of movable eyelids, external auditory canal and paired limbs. Each of these characteristics is also found in lizards. Snakes originated (presumably) from them in Cretaceous period(that is, approximately 135-65 million years ago). However, all together these signs are characteristic only of snakes. Today, about 3,000 of their species are known. The photos that you will find in this article will help you better imagine some types of snakes.

Lifestyle

These animals are predators. Many of them capture prey that is significantly larger than the snake itself. Young and small individuals usually feed on insects, molluscs, worms, some also reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, rodents, and more large mammals. Several months may pass between two meals.

In most cases, snakes lie motionless, lying in wait for their prey, after which they rush at it with amazing speed and begin to swallow it. Venomous species of snakes bite and then wait for the venom to take effect. Boa constrictors strangle the victim by wrapping themselves around it.

Various species of snakes are found everywhere except small oceanic islands and New Zealand. They live in forests, deserts, steppes, underground and in the sea. The most a large number of species lives in warm countries of Africa and East Asia. More than 50% of Australia's snakes are venomous.

Snakes usually live 5-10 years, and some individuals live up to 30-40 years. They feed on many mammals and birds (crows, eagles, storks, hedgehogs, pigs and representatives of the order Carnivora), as well as other snakes.

Methods of transportation

There are several ways to move them. The snake usually bends in a zigzag manner and is pushed away by areas of its body adjacent to the ground. Species of snakes living in the desert use a “lateral move”: the body touches the surface at only two points, the front part of it is moved to the side (in the direction of movement), after which the back part is “pulled up”, etc. “Accordion” is another method of movement, characterized in that the body of the snake is assembled into tight loops, and its front part moves forward. Also, large snakes move in a “caterpillar motion” in a straight line, clinging to the soil with their scutes and straining the muscles located in the abdominal part of the body.

snake poison

About 500 species of snakes are dangerous to humans. Every year, up to 1.5 million people are bitten by them, and up to 50 thousand die. Of course, this is not the most common cause of death today. However, it is important to be able to determine what species a snake belongs to and whether it is poisonous. Snakes do not attack without reason and try to save their poison. Scientists have developed special serums, which significantly reduced the number of deaths from their bites. In Thailand, for example, up to 10 thousand people died annually at the beginning of the 20th century, and today only about 20 people die. Snake venom is used in small quantities in medicinal purposes, it has an anti-inflammatory effect and analgesic effect, stimulates tissue regeneration.

The suborder Snakes are divided into 8-16 families. Let's introduce the main types of snakes and their names with photos.

Slepuny

These are small snakes with vermiform body. They are adapted to life underground: the head of these creatures is covered with large scutes, the bones of the skull are tightly fused, and a short tail serves as support for the body while moving through the soil. Their eyes are almost completely reduced. Rudiments of the pelvic bones have been found in blind blinders. There are about 170 species in this family, most of which live in subtropical and tropical areas.

Pseudophods

They got their name due to the presence of rudiments of their hind limbs, which turned into claws located on the sides of the anus. The reticulated python and anaconda are pseudopods - the largest modern snakes (they can reach a length of 10 meters). About 80 species include 3 subfamilies ( Sand boas, Pythons and Boas). These snakes live in the subtropics and tropics, and some species live in arid zones Central Asia.

Aspid snakes

These include more than 170 species, including mambas and cobras. Characteristic sign These snakes are distinguished by their lack of a zygomatic shield. They have a short tail, an elongated body, and their head is covered correct form large shields. Representatives of aspids lead a terrestrial lifestyle. They are distributed mainly in Australia and Africa.

The most dangerous type of black snake is the black mamba. She lives in various parts of the African continent. This snake is known to be very aggressive. Her throw is extremely accurate. The black mamba is the world's fastest land snake. It can reach speeds of up to 20 km/h. The black mamba can make 12 bites in a row.

Its venom is a fast-acting neurotoxin. The snake releases about 100-120 mg of poison in one injection. If you do not provide it as soon as possible medical care to a person, death occurs, depending on the nature of the bite, in the interval from 15 minutes to 3 hours. Other types of black snakes are not as dangerous. The fatality rate for a black mamba bite without antivenom is 100% - the highest of any venomous snake.

Sea snakes

Most of them never go onto land. They live in water, to which these snakes are adapted: they have light, voluminous valves that close their nostrils, a paddle-shaped tail and a streamlined body. These snakes are very poisonous. About 50 species include this family. They live in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The most poisonous snake species in the world is the Belchera (sea snake). It got its name thanks to Edward Belcher, a researcher. Sometimes this snake is called differently - the striped sea snake. She rarely attacks humans.

It takes a lot of effort to provoke this snake to bite, so cases of its attack are extremely rare. It can be found in the waters of Northern Australia and Southeast Asia.

Viperaceae

They have fat body, a flat triangular head, a vertical pupil, a tracheal lung and developed venom glands. Rattlesnakes and copperheads belong to the pit viper family, and real vipers include the sand viper, viper, and viper. The family includes approximately 120 species of snakes.

Colubridae

About 70% of all modern snakes are representatives of this family. There are numerous types of snakes and their names. There are about 1,500 species. They are ubiquitous and adapted to life in burrows, in the forest floor, on trees, in reservoirs and in semi-deserts. These snakes have a variety of locomotion methods and food preferences. In general, this family is characterized by the absence of movable tubular teeth, a left lung, and rudiments of the hind limbs. Their upper jaw is horizontal.

Snakes of Russia

What types of snakes live in Russia? According to various sources, there are approximately 90 of them in our country, including 10-16 poisonous ones. Let us briefly describe the main types of snakes in Russia.

Already ordinary

This is a large snake, the length of which can reach 140 cm. It is distributed over a vast territory from Scandinavia to North America, as well as to Central Mongolia in the east. In Russia it lives mainly in the European part. Its color ranges from dark gray to black. Light spots forming a crescent are located on the sides of the head. They are bordered by black stripes. Representatives of this type of snake prefer damp places. They hunt mainly during the day on toads and frogs, occasionally on birds and small lizards. This is an active snake. He crawls quickly, swims well and climbs trees. It tries to hide when detected, and if it fails, it relaxes its muscles and opens its mouth, thus pretending to be dead. Large snakes curl up into a ball and hiss threateningly, but they extremely rarely bite a person. In case of danger, they also regurgitate recently caught prey (in some cases, quite viable) and release a foul-smelling liquid from the cloaca.

copperhead

This snake is widespread in the European part of our country. Its length reaches 65 cm. The body color of this snake ranges from gray to red-brown. Dark spots in several rows are located along the body. The copperhead can be distinguished by its round pupil from the viper, which is a little similar to it. When in danger, a snake gathers its body into a tight ball and hides its head. A copperhead caught by a human fiercely defends itself. It can bite through your skin until it bleeds.

Common viper

This snake is quite large. Its body length reaches 75 cm. It has a triangular head and a thick body. The color of the viper ranges from gray to red-brown. A dark zigzag stripe runs along its body, an X-shaped pattern is noticeable on the head, as well as 3 large scutes - 2 parietal and frontal. The viper has a vertical pupil. The border between the neck and head is clearly visible.

This snake is widespread in the forest-steppe and forests of the European part of Russia, as well as in Far East and in Siberia. She prefers forests with swamps, clearings, as well as the banks of lakes and rivers. The viper settles in holes, pits, rotten stumps, among bushes. Most often, this type of snake winters in groups in burrows, hiding under haystacks and tree roots. In March-April, vipers leave the wintering area. During the day they love to bask in the sun. These snakes usually hunt at night. Their prey is small rodents, chicks, and frogs. They breed in mid-May; pregnancy lasts 3 months. The viper brings 8-12 cubs, each up to 17 cm long. The first molt occurs a few days after the individuals are born. Subsequently, vipers molt at intervals of approximately one to two times a month. They live 11-12 years.

Meetings between a person and a viper occur quite often. One thing to remember is that they love to spend time basking in the sun on warm days. Vipers can crawl to the fire at night and also climb into the tent. The population density of these snakes is very uneven. It's quite possible large area not a single individual can be found, but in some areas they form entire “snake centers”. These snakes are non-aggressive and will not be the first to attack a person. They always prefer to hide.

Steppe viper

This type of snake is distinguished by the pointed edges of its muzzle, as well as its smaller size from the common viper. The coloring of its body is duller. There are dark spots on the sides of the body. Steppe viper lives in forest-steppe and steppe zone the European part of our country, the Caucasus and Crimea. She lives 7-8 years.

Common cottonmouth

This species of snake inhabits vast areas from the mouth of the Volga to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Its body length is up to 70 cm, its color is brown or gray with wide dark spots located along the ridge.

Tiger snake

This is a brightly colored snake that lives in the Far East. Usually the upper part of its body is bright green with transverse black stripes. The scales located in the spaces between the stripes in the front of the body are red. The body length of the tiger snake reaches up to 110 cm. The nuchodorsal glands are located on the upper side of its neck. The caustic secretion they secrete repels predators. This type of snake prefers damp places. The tiger snake feeds on frogs, fish and toads.

Central Asian cobra

This is a large snake, the length of which reaches 160 meters. Its body color is olive or Brown. When the cobra is irritated, it raises the front part of its body and inflates the “hood” on its neck. This snake, when attacking, makes several lightning-fast throws, one of which ends with a bite. The Central Asian cobra lives in Central Asia, in the southern regions.

Sandy efa

This type of snake reaches up to 80 cm in length. Transverse light stripes run along the ridge, light zigzag lines - along the sides of the body. The sand epha feeds on birds and small rodents, other snakes and frogs. The speed of the throws distinguishes the efu. It makes a dry rustling sound when moving. This snake lives on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea and is distributed to the Aral Sea.

Titanoboa

This extinct species of snake is this moment the largest among other species that have ever inhabited our planet. Titanoboa existed more than 50 million years ago, back in the time of dinosaurs. Today, their obvious descendants are snakes from the subfamily Boas. The South American anaconda is their most famous representative. Although it is significantly inferior in size to Titanoboa, it has a number of similar features with this species. In the New York Museum you can see a mechanical copy of Titanoboa. About 15 meters is the size of this snake.

Pet snakes

The species of domestic snakes are numerous. Snakes are one of the most interesting creatures that are used as pets. Although they are ferocious predators, snakes can become docile if cared for.

The corn snake is a very popular pet. She is docile and easy to care for, but it is genetic diversity that makes this species so popular today.

The fact is that most individuals of this species suffered due to genetic mutations, for example, albinism, and today have some of the most beautiful colors among snakes around the world. Royal python also quite popular. This is a very obedient animal. The lifespan of this species reaches 40 years. The king snake is muscular with a strong body. It reaches 1.6 m in length. Boa is also popular. She is originally from Central America. This snake is a predator known for its ability to bring down large prey. Before eating the victim, it strangles it, and strong jaw muscles and sharp teeth help it swallow quickly. Boa reaches 2-3 meters at maturity. The colors and patterns of her body are very varied, but brown and grey colour. The boa requires a large terrarium made of thick fiberglass, which should be lighted and well ventilated.

So we have listed characteristics, which have different types of snakes, and their names with photos. Of course, this is incomplete information. We have described only the main types of snakes. The photos presented above introduce readers to their most interesting representatives.

Snakes can be found on 5 continents. They are only absent in Antarctica. The vast majority of them do not pose a threat to humans. And only 10% (about 350 species) pose a danger to human life and health. We invite you to take a closer look at the snake kingdom and find out which of its representatives can be kept at home.

Varieties of snakes

In nature, 3631 species of snakes are known to exist. They are all predators. However, not all of them threaten people’s lives and health. In this material we will look at some types of poisonous, non-venomous and sea snakes.

The most dangerous and poisonous

Poisonous snakes belong to 3 families:

1. Vipers.
2. Colubridae.
3. Aspidae.

Vipers are found in Eurasia, Africa, North and South America. Representatives of this family have a rounded-triangular head and a blunt nasal end. The fangs from which the poison is released are located behind the upper jaw.

When biting, these reptiles open their mouths 180 degrees and expose their fangs, and then inflict swipe jaws. The color of vipers varies depending on living conditions.

The most famous and dangerous of this family are rattlers, common viper, efa, and viper.

Did you know? According to statistics, snakes inflict fatal bites on 30-40 thousand people every year on the planet. People die the most from this cause in Burma and Brazil. In America, about 8 thousand deaths are recorded per year; in Europe, 1 person dies from a snake bite every 3-5 years.

Among the colubrids, a person should be wary of only 2 species - the boomslang and the vine snake (gray arboreal). These reptiles live in Africa. Boomslang has a slender body 2 m long and a short head. Its color is green. The wine snake has a thin and elongated profile, a long tail, and a narrow head. The color of the scales is gray with brown.
The aspid family includes 2 subfamilies: cobras and sea snakes, 61 genera and 347 species. In appearance, they resemble grass snakes - they have a slender build, smooth scales, and scutes on the head. Body length varies from 0.4 to 5.5 m. Their body color can be different.

Large arboreal and terrestrial individuals are most often characterized by gray, sandy, brown, and green colors. For small ones - a contrasting combination of colorful colors: red, black, orange, yellow.

Adders live in Australia and Africa. The most dangerous of them are the reticulated brown snake, the Philippine cobra, and the Indian krait.

Did you know? The most dangerous snake on the planet is considered to be McCoy's taipan, which belongs to the aspid family. It can be found in Australia. With one bite, it is capable of releasing 44 mg of poison. This dose could kill 100 people.

Not dangerous to humans

There are many more snakes that are harmless to people than there are dangerous ones. The most famous of them are snakes - reptiles with a body length of up to a meter, gray with olive or brown with black. His back is dotted with dark spots, and there are light spots on his neck.
These reptiles live throughout Europe, western Africa and Asia. They usually settle closer to bodies of water. May be found in mountainous areas.

Another harmless reptile is the snake. You can meet it in the steppes, semi-deserts, forests, on the banks of rivers in Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Far East, North America. It reaches a length of 2 m. There are 30 species.

It can show aggression towards humans, bite them (some species even for no reason), but it has no poison.

Despite its terrifying appearance, the common copperhead is harmless to people. It grows up to 70 cm in length. It has a powerful body, a flattened head and smooth scales. The upperparts are brownish with gray or gray with reddish. It has longitudinal dark spots.

Quite often the copperhead is mistaken for a viper. The habitat of this snake is Europe, Kazakhstan, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Northern Iran, Russia.

A person should not be afraid of a collision with a brittle spindle. She inhabits European countries, Algeria, Asia Minor, Northern Iran, Caucasus. This is a small snake with a body up to half a meter long, brown or gray colors with bronze.

Marine

Sea snakes are classified into the subfamily of adders. There are 56 species of them on the planet. They have bodies 1.2–1.4 m long and weigh 0.9–1.3 kilograms. Their appearance may vary depending on living conditions.

Thus, there are individuals with small thin heads, which they need to search for food in narrow crevices. However, the structure of all sea snakes differs from land snakes.

They have a laterally flattened tail, fewer ventral scales, big size right lung, the oral mucosa is designed in a special way, which allows the reptile to consume oxygen dissolved in water. The colors of marine reptiles are usually bright with a pattern in the form of rings.

Sea snakes feed on fish, which are killed with a highly toxic poison. These reptiles rarely pose a danger to humans. They do not attack in water. Their teeth can hurt fishermen who pull them out of tangled nets. But such cases are rare.

The habitat of marine reptiles is the Indian and Pacific oceans, the Red Sea. They mainly inhabit the shores and can travel 50–60 km from the water.

The most dangerous snakes for humans are Dubois, Belcher, Enhydrina, and the yellow-lipped flat-tailed snake.

First aid for poisonous snake bites

Herpetologists unanimously claim that snakes never attack first. When they meet people, they try to run away. A reptile can bite when it feels unprotected, if it is disturbed or provoked, and it cannot retreat or take cover in time. The snake protects itself with its bite.

If the reptile does inflict a bite, then timely first aid, as well as quickly performed medical procedures, increase a person’s chances of surviving, recovering quickly and subsequently not having to fight with negative consequences from the action of poison.

If poison enters a person’s bloodstream, it is necessary to:

1. Carefully remove the snake from the person's skin and take precautions to prevent it from biting anyone else.
2. Carefully place the victim on the ground or mat. Explain to him that he needs to move less.
3. Call an ambulance.
4. Start sucking out the poison. If available, use suction or a bulb. If there are no such devices, suction by mouth. With your hands you need to make a fold in the area of ​​the bite and open the wounds. Grab the bitten area with your teeth and suck out the poison, spitting it out periodically.
5. Immobilize the bitten limb. If present, remove jewelry from it. Secure with a splint or bandage, attaching it to the body or healthy limb.
6. Disinfect wounds. You can use hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate solution, chlorhexidine, brilliant green. After disinfection, cover the wounds with a sterile bandage.
7. Tie a tight bandage above the bitten area.
8. Apply ice or cold to the bite area.
9. Administer an antihistamine to the victim. Suprastin, Diphenhydramine, Pipolfen, Loratadine, Levocetirizine, Prednisol, Dexamethasone are suitable.
10. While the ambulance is on its way, give the bitten person warm liquid to drink.
11. In case of loss of consciousness or respiratory arrest, perform indirect cardiac massage and artificial respiration.
12. If you have anti-snake serum on hand, it should be injected as soon as the bitten person is in a lying position. If the snake belongs to the viper family, then Antigyurza serum is injected intramuscularly (500 IU, 1500–3000 IU depending on the degree of poisoning). The drug is administered in 3 stages, observing the reaction of the victim’s body. If bitten by a reptile from the slate family, the drug Anticobra is administered.

What types are suitable for keeping at home?

So, we looked at what types of snakes there are and which of them pose a danger to humans. In this section we will provide a list of those reptiles that can be kept as a pet.

Exotic lovers in the house most often contain:

1. . This is a small snake with a beautiful bright body color. Its advantages are that it is non-aggressive. Allows himself to be picked up and gets along well with his owner.
2. . This pet will require a large terrarium. These pythons are slow. They are interesting to watch.
3. Rainbow boa constrictor. This reptile reaches a maximum length of 2 m. Its body is painted in bright colors, and its scales shimmer beautifully in the sun. The character of these reptiles is usually complex.
4. Imperial boa constrictor. This reptile reaches a maximum length of 2 m. It is beautiful in appearance. Non-aggressive towards humans.
5. - small in size and agile, with a variegated body color.

All of the above species do not pose a danger to humans because they do not have poisonous glands. However, those who like to tickle the nerves manage to get into the house and dangerous snakes.

Important! If you are planning to purchase a snake, especially a poisonous one, as a pet, you must understand that this comes with a huge responsibility.

The most popular among them are:

1. . A massive reptile with a body length of up to 9 m. It is not poisonous, but is capable of suffocating a person with its body.
2. Diamondback rattlesnake. It can be up to 2 m long. Its poison leads to the death of people.
3. King Cobra- one of the most dangerous snakes on Earth. It can have a body up to 5 m in length. Its venom contains neurotoxins.
4. Ordinary gherarka. A small snake with a body length of up to 1 m. When aggressive, it is capable of releasing poison, which, if prompt assistance is not provided, leads to the death of a person.
5. Blue dubarus. A very handsome looking bastard. Its poison is very toxic, and if it enters the human body it is lethal.
6. Black Mamba. Another representative of the snake kingdom, which is considered one of the most dangerous reptiles on the planet. Its distinctive feature is its black mouth, which it displays to intimidate. Its bite is painful and fatal.

The most striking views

In this section we have selected for you the names and short information about snakes that are found in post-Soviet countries.

Russia

In different parts of Russia you can meet merman and an ordinary snake, common copperhead, yellow-bellied snake. We have already written about these representatives in the subsection “Non-dangerous snakes”.

Rare and very beautiful views- leopard, pallas and four-striped climbing snakes. They are not poisonous. But the danger to humans is represented by common, steppe and Caucasian vipers, viper, common copperhead, stone and Ussuri vipers.

Ukraine

Most of the snakes living in Ukraine are harmless. These are the yellowtail, the eastern spindle, the Caspian snake, the leopard snake, the Aesculapian snake, the Palassov snake, the common snake and the water snake.

When staying on the territory of Ukraine, people should be wary of the poisonous bites of steppe and common vipers, Nikolsky's viper. The latter is easy to recognize among her relatives, since her body is completely black, which gives her a particularly terrifying appearance.

Belarus

But Belarusians are lucky. In the vicinity of their country there are only 3 species of snakes: the common snake, the common copperhead and the common viper. As you already know, only the latter species threatens humans. The copperhead is quite rare and is even listed in the local Red Book.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has a more acceptable hot climate for reptiles. Therefore, there are many more species here. These are 2 types of boas, 10 types of snakes, 2 types of grass snakes, a copperhead and an arrow snake. The latter is named so because of its appearance - its body is very thin, pointed, with a high speed of movement.

Despite the fact that it still has poisonous glands, it is generally accepted that it is not dangerous due to its peaceful nature and lack of aggression towards people.

Four types pose a threat to human health and life: steppe and common viper, Pallas's muzzle and viper.
Thus, there is a wide variety of snakes found throughout the world. The vast majority of them are not dangerous to people. However, there are also those whose bite can be fatal. When visiting areas where these reptiles live, safety precautions should be observed.

If a snake bites, the victim must be given first aid and taken to a medical center as quickly as possible.

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A snake is an animal of the chordate type, class Reptiles, order Squamate, suborder snakes (Serpentes). Like all reptiles, they are cold-blooded animals, so their existence depends on the ambient temperature.

Snake - description, characteristics, structure. What does a snake look like?

The body of the snake has an elongated shape and can reach a length of 10 centimeters to 9 meters, and the weight of the snake ranges from 10 grams to more than 100 kilograms. Males are smaller than females, but have more long tail. The body shape of these reptiles varies: it can be short and thick, long and thin, and sea snakes have a flattened body that resembles a ribbon. Therefore, the internal organs of these scaly animals also have an elongated structure.

The internal organs are supported by more than 300 pairs of ribs, movably connected to the skeleton.

The snake's triangular head has jaws with elastic ligaments, which makes it possible to swallow large food.

Many snakes are venomous and use venom as a means of hunting and self-defense. Since snakes are deaf, to navigate in space, in addition to vision, they use the ability to capture vibration waves and thermal radiation.

The main information sensor is the forked tongue of the snake, which allows, with the help of special receptors inside the palate, to “collect information” about environment. Snake eyelids are fused transparent films, scales covering the eyes, therefore snakes don't blink and even sleep with their eyes open.

The skin of snakes is covered with scales, the number and shape of which depends on the type of reptile. Once every six months, the snake sheds its old skin - this process is called molting.

By the way, the color of the snake can be either monochromatic in species living in the temperate zone, or variegated in representatives of the tropics. The pattern can be longitudinal, transversely circular or spotted.

Types of snakes, names and photographs

Today, scientists know more than 3,460 species of snakes living on the planet, among which the most famous are adders, vipers, sea snakes, snakes (not dangerous to humans), pit snakes, pseudopods with both lungs, as well as rudimentary remains of the pelvic bones and hind limbs.

Let's look at several representatives of the snake suborder:

• King cobra (hamadryad) ( Ophiophagus hannah)
  

The most gigantic poisonous snake on earth. Some representatives grow up to 5.5 m, although the average size of adults usually does not exceed 3-4 m. Poison king cobra- a lethal neurotoxin that leads to fatal outcome in 15 minutes. The scientific name of the king cobra literally means “snake eater”, because it is the only species whose representatives feed on snakes of their own kind. Females have exceptional maternal instinct, constantly guarding the clutch of eggs and completely going without food for up to 3 months. The king cobra lives in the tropical forests of India, the Philippines and the islands of Indonesia. Life expectancy is more than 30 years.

• Black Mamba ( Dendroaspis polylepis)

The African venomous snake, growing up to 3 m, is one of the most... fast snakes, capable of moving at a speed of 11 km/h. The highly toxic snake venom causes death in a matter of minutes, although the black mamba is not aggressive and attacks humans only in self-defense. Representatives of the black mamba species received their name due to the black coloration of the oral cavity. The snake's skin is usually olive, green or brown in color with a metallic sheen. It eats small rodents, birds and bats.

• Fierce snake (desert taipan) ( Oxyuranus microlepidotus)

The most poisonous of land snakes, the venom of which is 180 times stronger than that of a cobra. This species of snake is common in the deserts and dry plains of Australia. Representatives of the species reach a length of 2.5 m. Skin color varies depending on the season: in extreme heat- straw-colored, when it gets colder it turns dark brown.

• Gaboon viper (cassava) ( Bitis gabonica)

Poisonous snake that lives in African savannas, is one of the largest and thickest vipers, up to 2 m long and with a body girth of almost 0.5 m. All individuals belonging to this species have a characteristic, triangular head with small horns located between the nostrils. The Gaboon viper has a calm character, rarely attacking people. It belongs to the type of viviparous snakes, breeds once every 2-3 years, bringing from 24 to 60 offspring.

• Anaconda ( Eunectes murinus)

The giant (ordinary, green) anaconda belongs to the subfamily of boa constrictors; in former times the snake was called a water boa constrictor. The massive body, 5 to 11 m long, can weigh over 100 kg. The non-poisonous reptile is found in low-flow rivers, lakes and creeks of the tropical part South America, from Venezuela to the island of Trinidad. It feeds on iguanas, caimans, waterfowl and fish.

• Python ( Pythonidae)

A representative of the family of non-venomous snakes is different gigantic size from 1 to 7.5 m in length, and female pythons are much larger and more powerful than males. The range extends throughout the eastern hemisphere: tropical forests, swamps and savannas of the African continent, Australia and Asia. The diet of pythons consists of small and medium-sized mammals. Adults swallow leopards, jackals and porcupines whole, and then digest them for a long time. Female pythons lay eggs and incubate the clutch, by contracting muscles, increasing the temperature in the nest by 15 -17 degrees.

• African egg snakes (egg eaters) ( Dasypeltis scabra)

Representatives of the snake family that feed exclusively on bird eggs. They live in savannas and woodlands of the equatorial part of the African continent. Individuals of both sexes grow no more than 1 meter in length. The movable bones of the snake's skull make it possible to open its mouth wide and swallow very large eggs. In this case, the elongated cervical vertebrae pass through the esophagus and, like a can opener, rip open the eggshell, after which the contents flow into the stomach, and the shell is coughed up.

• Radiant snake ( Xenopeltis unicolor)

Not Poisonous snakes, the length of which is in rare cases reaches 1 m. The reptile received its name for the rainbow tint of its scales, which are dark brown in color. Burrowing snakes live in the loose soils of forests, cultivated fields and gardens in Indonesia, Borneo, the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and China. Small rodents and lizards are used as food items.

• Worm-like blind snake ( Typhlops vermicularis)

Small snakes, up to 38 cm long, resemble earthworms in appearance. Absolutely harmless representatives can be found under stones, melons and watermelons, as well as in thickets of bushes and on dry rocky slopes. They feed on beetles, caterpillars, ants and their larvae. The distribution area extends from Balkan Peninsula to the Caucasus, Central Asia and Afghanistan. Russian representatives of this species of snake live in Dagestan.

Where do snakes live?

The distribution range of snakes does not include only Antarctica, New Zealand and the islands of Ireland. Many of them live in tropical latitudes. In nature, snakes live in forests, steppes, swamps, hot deserts and even in the ocean. Reptiles lead an active lifestyle both during the day and at night. Species living in temperate latitudes, V winter time hibernate.

What do snakes eat in nature?

Almost all snakes are predators, with the exception of the Mexican herbivorous snake. Reptiles may only eat a few times a year. Some snakes feed on large and small rodents or amphibians, while others prefer bird eggs. The diet of sea snakes includes fish. There is even a snake that eats snakes: the king cobra can eat members of its own family. All snakes easily move on any surface, bending their body in waves; they can swim and “fly” from tree to tree, contracting their muscles.

Breeding snakes. How do snakes reproduce?

Despite the fact that snakes are solitary individuals by way of life, during the mating period they become quite sociable and “loving.” The mating dance of two snakes of different sexes is sometimes so surprising and interesting that it definitely captivates attention. The male snake is ready to hover around his “chosen one” for hours, seeking her consent to fertilization. Reptiles of the snake order are oviparous, and some snakes are capable of giving birth to live young. The size of a snake's clutch varies from 10 to 120,000 eggs, depending on the type of snake and its habitat.

Having reached sexual maturity at two years of age, snakes begin to mate. The male searches for his “lady” by smell, wraps his body around the female’s neck, rising high above the surface of the earth. By the way, at this time even non-poisonous individuals can be very aggressive due to excitement and excitement.

Mating of snakes occurs in a ball, but immediately after this the pair disperses and never meet again. The snake's parents do not show any interest in newborn babies.

The snake tries to make its clutch in the most secluded place possible: plant roots, crevices in stones, rotten stumps - every quiet corner is important for the future “mother”. The laid eggs develop quite quickly - in just one and a half to two months. Newly born snakes and baby snakes are absolutely independent, poisonous individuals have poison, but these babies can only hunt small insects. Reptiles reach sexual maturity in the second year of life. The average lifespan of a snake reaches 30 years.

What is snake venom? This is saliva produced salivary glands poisonous individuals. Her healing properties known for hundreds of years: with the addition of snake venom, pharmacists make homeopathic preparations, creams, ointments and balms. These remedies help with rheumatic joint diseases and osteochondrosis. However, face poisonous bite This reptile in nature can be not only unpleasant and very painful, but also deadly.

What to do if bitten by a snake? First aid

• If you have been bitten by a snake, and you do not know whether it was poisonous or non-poisonous, in any case you should remove the snake’s saliva from the micro-wound! You can suck out and quickly spit out the poison, you can squeeze it out, but all these manipulations will be effective only for the first one to one and a half minutes after the bite.
• The person who has been bitten definitely needs to be urgently taken to a medical facility (hospital).
• At the same time, it is advisable to visually remember what the snake looked like, because it belongs to a certain type is extremely important for doctors who will prescribe anti-snake serum to the victim.
• If a limb (arm, leg) is bitten, then there is no need to tighten it: this manipulation does not localize the spread of the snake’s venom, but may well lead to toxic asphyxia of the affected tissues.
• Never panic! An increased heart rate due to excitement accelerates blood circulation throughout the body, thereby facilitating the spread of snake venom throughout the body.
• Provide the bitten person with absolute rest, warm fluids, and take him to professional medical professionals as soon as possible.

Snakes, scientifically speaking, are a suborder of the class of reptiles of the order Scaly. Snakes can be found on all continents of the Earth, except cold Antarctica.

Among the snakes there are poisonous species, but most snakes are not poisonous. Venomous snakes use their venom primarily for hunting, and for self-defense, they only use it when absolutely necessary.

Many non-venomous snakes first they strangle their prey (snake and boa constrictor, for example), and then swallow the prey whole.

Anacondas

The largest snake existing in nature is the anaconda.

Again, scientifically speaking, anacondas are a genus of snakes consisting of several species. And the most close-up view snake is giant anaconda, the photo of which you see above.

The largest giant anaconda caught weighed 97.5 kg with a length of 5.2 meters. This snake was caught in the wild jungle in Venezuela. Residents of remote villages claim that they have seen larger anacondas, but there is no evidence of the existence of larger specimens.

Like the other three species of anaconda that we will discuss below, the giant anaconda spends most of its time in the water. Anacondas prefer bodies of water without current or with weak current. They are found in lakes, oxbow lakes, quiet rivers Amazon and Orinoco basins.

The anaconda does not move far from water. Mostly anacondas crawl ashore to bask in the sun.

As we wrote earlier, anacondas belong to the subfamily of boas. Now let's talk about boa constrictors.

Boa

Boas are primarily large ovoviviparous snakes. The boa constrictor subfamily is mainly known for the genus common boa constrictors. The most typical representative of this genus is the species of the same name, “common boa constrictor.” Individuals of this species reach 5.5 meters in length.

Boas strangle their prey by wrapping rings around them.

Boas of this species can have an unusual color, given the fact that they are very unpretentious in their maintenance; they are often kept in terrariums.

But it is popular to keep another type of boa constrictor in terrariums - dog-headed boa constrictors.

Dog-headed boas have a beautiful red-orange coloration when young and a bright green coloration when mature age. The length of this type of boa constrictor does not exceed three meters.

Another representative of brightly colored boa constrictors is the rainbow boa constrictor.

This type of boa constrictor is also popular among those who like to keep snakes at home.

Cobras

Some of the most famous snakes are cobras. Science identifies 16 species of cobras, many of which are quite large.

Cobra has an amazing skill; it can lift its body into a vertical position. If the cobra is large, then in this position it can be on a par with a person.

Cobras are venomous snakes. Their bite can be very dangerous to humans.

Cobras are heat-loving snakes; they never live in countries where snow falls in winter.

Vipers

Vipers are the inhabitants of our latitudes. Vipers are poisonous snakes, the mention of which causes fear in people.

Vipers can have a very diverse range of colors. Each subspecies can be very different in appearance from other subspecies, while all subspecies of vipers have a characteristic zigzag on their backs.

Vipers are active during the day, they love the sun and spend a lot of time basking in the sun.

If the viper smells a person, it prefers to move away. These are absolutely non-conflict snakes and if you don’t touch them

Already

One of the most peaceful snakes of our nature is the snake. This snake is easy to recognize by yellow spots on the head.

Already.

They are no longer poisonous and there is no reason to be afraid of them. Snakes live on the banks of calm bodies of water, such as lakes and swamps, creeks and oxbow lakes.

Already.

It is worth noting that there is a subspecies of snakes that lives far from bodies of water.

copperheads

Copperheads are small snakes that live on the edges of forests. Copperheads feed mainly on lizards, sometimes insects.

Medyanka.

Although copperheads have poisonous teeth, their size is too small and their mouth is not capable of grabbing a person. Maybe by the finger of your hand. But even in this case, their bite does not pose a serious danger.

Externally, the copperhead looks like a small viper. The diamond and zigzag patterns on the backs of copperheads are very similar to those of the pit viper.

Skids

Snakes are a generalized name for several species of snakes.

The Caspian snake is known in our area - it is a fairly large snake, it is not poisonous, but very aggressive.

Caspian snake.

It is precisely because of their aggressiveness that snakes are not liked. Although they do not pose a threat to life, and if you meet them, you can simply continue on your way.

On the islands of Japan you can find island snakes, which are distinguished by their unusual colors. This species is a resident of the sea coast.

We will end our story with a description of one of the most big snakes planets - python.

The python can reach a length of four meters, which is about a meter less than the anaconda, but still impressive.

Despite their large size, pythons are very dexterous and smart predators. Outwardly, they could be classified as boa constrictors, but pythons are a separate genus of snakes.

Pythons live in Asia and Australia, and can also be found in some regions of Africa. Pythons always settle not far from bodies of water, although their life may not be connected with water. There are types of pythons that spend most of their time in the crowns of trees.

Cat snakes

Cat snakes are a genus of small snakes that are distant relatives of grass snakes. The genus consists of 12 species, which are distributed in Africa, southern Europe and southwestern Asia.

One species lives in Russia - the Caucasian cat snake. These snakes in Russia can only be found in Dagestan.