Is the black viper dangerous? Viper snake. Viper lifestyle and habitat. General information about the viper

The common viper is a species poisonous snakes, which can often be found not only in the forest-steppe zone, but even on summer cottage, in a pond or on a porch own home. These reptiles belong to the viper family and are considered a type of snake from the genus true viper.

Photo: Niklas Banowski

The common viper is not afraid of low temperatures, so this species of snake can often be found in the highlands and far northern regions. Its habitats extend on the map from Western Europe before Far East. The character of the common viper is very aggressive; it often attacks humans in defense of its territory or offspring.

Fact! The common viper is often confused with the common snake, which poses no danger to humans.

Appearance of a snake

This reptile has a medium body size. As a rule, the size of the common viper depends on its breeding sites. The largest representatives of this species live in the region of Northern Europe. In Scandinavian lands, these snakes can grow up to 1 meter. In northwestern Europe in England and northern France, these reptiles have a shorter body up to 80-85 cm. In other habitats, common vipers can have a body up to 55-60 cm in length. Typically, the female viper is slightly larger than the male of this species. The weight of this reptile can range from 50 to 100 grams. The largest individuals can reach up to 180 g.

The snake's head is large, flat in shape, its surface covered with small scales. There are plates on the head that serve to protect the eyes, crown and front of the snake's muzzle. The reptile's head is separated from the rest of the body by a barely noticeable neck. The viper has not very large eyes with supraocular scales; the vertical pupil is clearly visible. Appearance gives the viper a terrifying appearance. Females have significantly smaller eyes, while males have larger ones. A nasal plate or nasal opening can be seen on the muzzle. The upper jaw of the snake is very mobile, equipped with two large poisonous fangs and several small teeth. The body of the viper turns into a small tail with a blunt end that resembles the outline of a comma.

Mother nature generously endowed this species of snake with various colors and shades. In addition to the most typical gray body color in males and brown in females, other color shades of vipers are also found in the wild. The color of the body of reptiles can be dark brown, black, copper-red, silver, beige-yellow or olive-brown. The surface of the body of these snakes often has natural patterns in the form of stripes, spots and zigzag patterns. Less commonly, these reptiles have a solid color. However, against the background of a dark shade of the body, it is often impossible to see the zigzag pattern. Dark markings in the form of a natural ornament are visible on the upper part of the reptile’s head. On the sides of the head there are dark stripes that extend from the eyes to the corners of the snake's mouth.

Where does the common viper live?

Typically, these reptiles choose the outskirts of swampy places for breeding, hiding in forest clearings, burnt areas overgrown with grass, live in clearings among mixed and coniferous forests, moss-covered places, on the banks of rivers and reservoirs. This species of snake has spread up to 3000 meters above sea level. As a rule, these vipers lead a sedentary lifestyle and do not like to move further than a hundred meters from their homes. Only during the search for wintering grounds, with the beginning of migrations in spring or autumn period, these snakes can swim across rivers and crawl distances of up to five kilometers. Often the viper can be found in a forested area, in the basement of a country house or farmhouse, in abandoned buildings, in a vegetable garden, in rural areas.

Lifestyle and behavior

Photo: Niklas Banowski

By its nature, this reptile is sedentary, moves slowly, and has a calm character. You can call her a homebody. In summer, the snake loves to lie in the sun and spends the whole day in a secluded place away from prying eyes. Reptiles often look for warm place on heated stones, under stumps or fallen trees, in a rocky crevice among the rocks.

If you carefully observe this snake, you can note some character traits in reptile behavior. If the snake lies and relaxes basking in the sun, then it spreads its ribs to the side, while the body takes on a flat shape with a wavy surface. However, if the reptile is on guard, then it becomes tense, the body is extended, and in appearance it resembles a tightly compressed lump in the form of a spiral. If an enemy is encountered on the reptile's path, the snake, with a quick movement like a spring, raises its upper body. To frighten the enemy, she inflates her body and hisses intimidatingly. This dense ball smoothly creeps towards the source of danger for self-defense.

To survive the winter, vipers find shelter in rodent burrows or crevices. They crawl underground to a depth of two meters. In such a shelter, during the wintering period the temperature can fluctuate from 3 to 4 degrees Celsius. Very often, several representatives of this family spend the winter in such burrows at once to keep each other warm. If it comes early spring and the snow melts, snakes can crawl to the surface to bask in the rays of the sun. If several dozen representatives of a species spend the winter in a burrow at once, then a large moving ball appears on the surface.

Most active life cycle for the viper it occurs from March to April. Males are the first to bask in the sun's rays from their winter shelter, and only when the air warms up above 24 °C do female vipers crawl out of their burrows. During winter sleep, in nature, up to 15% of adults and 40% of young individuals die.

The lifespan of this snake is wildlife under favorable conditions it can reach from 12 to 15 years. At the same time, in a snake nursery and specialized terrariums, common vipers can live from 20 to 30 years. The longevity of snakes in such conditions is explained by the fact that the reptiles receive constant nutrition, they are protected from attacks by enemies, the microclimate is also favorable and timely health care veterinarians.

Enemies

Despite its poisonous nature, the viper has many potential enemies in the wild. The reptile can become dinner for hedgehogs, wild boars, owls, eagle and others birds of prey. If a reptile meets a person on the way, then he most often tries to kill the snake for self-defense.

Nutrition

Photo: Niklas Banowski

These reptiles crawl out to hunt at nightfall. The diet of these snakes includes mice, frogs, and also feeds on lizards, newts, salamanders, hatched chicks and bird eggs. The menu of vipers depends on the territory of their habitat. Juveniles feed on worms, spiders and frogs. As they grow, after the viper’s body reaches 30 cm, young snakes switch to a more adult diet. With the onset of cold weather, these reptiles lay down in hibernation, which lasts from 150 to 180 days. But in the coldest northern latitudes Viper hibernation can last up to nine months.

Poisonousness of the common viper

It is believed that reptiles have virtually no hearing, so snakes do not leave their territory when a person appears. However, the entire body of the viper is very susceptible to various vibrations. If a person steps on soft, for example, peat soil, then the reptile feels the movement of the earth with its entire body. When a person gets in the way of a viper, it considers him an enemy and quickly attacks in self-defense. Its protective instincts are triggered, which explains the behavior of the snake during an attack on a person.

It is generally accepted that the viper is not able to bite through the thick fabric of jeans or shoes. However, people should still avoid the habitats of this poisonous snake. If a common viper nevertheless attacks a person, then its bite is not considered fatal. The bitten person soon recovers. However, the bite of this snake can be very painful and dangerous to health. After a bite, swelling appears on the surface of the wound, then acute anemia sets in, the patient becomes dizzy, has a headache, severe weakness and progressive shock. The blood inside the vessels begins to clot, changes occur in the body - in the tissues of the liver and kidneys. The victim must be taken to the hospital for medical care.

There are cases when victims of a snake bite cannot see a doctor in time for help, so experienced tourists recommend taking a special serum with them on such dangerous trips. To neutralize the viper’s venom, the patient should inject “Anti-viper” serum or its equivalent under the skin. The required therapeutic dose is 150 AE. Before injecting serum against viper venom subcutaneously, the victim needs to take 1 or 2 tablets of Prednisolone or any antihistamine, for example Suprastin or Tavegil. These medications will help the patient cope with the allergic reaction in the body. If the victims do not have the “miraculous” serum with them, then it is necessary to put the patient to bed and constantly give him plenty of water to drink. It is prohibited to give alcohol in such cases. It is also not recommended to suck out the poison from the wound, because a person may have invisible injuries oral cavity. After this, you need to immediately call an ambulance.

Video: Common viper (Vipera berus)

Many readers know that snake viper belongs to the class of reptiles. But not everyone knows that this family of creeping reptiles has more than 58 species.

The habitats of these creatures are very diverse; for example, they can be found in most of the African continent, in Asia, as well as in most of European territory.

Vipers thrive both in the arid steppes and in the humid climate of the forests of the equator. They can settle on rocky mountain slopes and make their home northern forests.

Basically, vipers prefer a terrestrial lifestyle, but among their relatives there are often individuals that lead an underground lifestyle hidden from prying eyes. A bright representative this type can be called earthen viper from the genus Atractaspis.

Ground viper

The main factors for the life of snakes of this family are the availability of food and a sufficient amount of light. They are not so demanding about everything else. Class of vipers, as previously noted, very diverse, but we will talk about four representatives in more detail. So, get acquainted.

The common viper lives throughout the European part globe, in areas of Asia, even in the north, up to the Arctic Circle. She leads a sedentary lifestyle - she does not like frequent changes of habitat.

The snake overwinters in crevices of the ground, in rodent burrows and other secluded places. It usually leaves its winter moorings in mid-spring, but this depends on geographical location.

The photo shows a common viper

Geography of habitat steppe viper very extensive. It can be found in the steppes European zone, especially in the western part. She settled in Eastern Kazakhstan, the steppe regions of the Caucasus and the coast. About vipers Many interesting facts are known, for example, they are capable of performing forced marches to altitudes of up to 3000 m above sea level.

Snakes often choose a certain territory for their habitat, where there are no other representatives of this class besides them. In winter, creeping creatures take refuge underground, and they bury themselves to a decent depth (1.0 meter or more).

Pictured is a steppe viper

But the fact is that even with a slight minus, the snake can die, so these cautious creatures play it safe and go to spend the winter at a depth that can retain heat. Vipers often hibernate in large groups, but can also hibernate alone.

Having awakened from a long winter sleep, with the onset of spring, vipers crawl out of their shelters and find rocky surfaces, where they enjoy sunbathing.

In our country common and steppe viper can be found everywhere and meeting it does not bode well for a person. After all, the venom of large individuals is fatal to humans, not to mention small animals and birds, for which a small amount of the deadly substance is enough to die when bitten. Full-fledged viper bite causes the death of the victim within a few minutes.

The character and lifestyle of the viper

Vipers cannot be called record holders in running, because they are too slow. They are able to spend the entire day lying down without unnecessary movements. But with the onset of twilight, snakes become more active and begin their favorite pastime - hunting.

It should be noted that large individuals can lie motionless for a long time, expecting that the prey itself will fall into the affected area, and then the viper will not miss the chance to feast on what itself came to it as lunch.

The main distinguishing feature of vipers is that they are fluent in the art of swimming; wide river or a large enough body of water is no big deal.

This is probably why vipers can most often be found on the banks of reservoirs, but they also do not disdain swamps, and here they are simply teeming. People often use the phrase “a swamp infested with vipers,” and this is not without its common sense.

Vipers love to settle in wetlands

Everyone knows that snakes lack limbs, but this does not bother them. After all, they can move freely with the help of their natural plasticity and soft spine. Gracefully wriggling among the stones, the creeping creatures are capable of developing quite a decent speed.

But God did not endow these creatures with good hearing and visual acuity. Snakes completely lack an auditory opening, and their eye sockets are covered with a dense transparent veil. The eyelids of reptiles are fused, and therefore they cannot blink.

It is reliably known that black viper poisonous The only representative of this class does not pose a danger to humans. Signs of a viper: Snakes have two large teeth in which venom accumulates.

Pictured is a black viper

The toxic substance is produced by paired glands located on both sides of the eyes, and they connect to the teeth through ducts. It is interesting that in all species it was noted interesting structure teeth. The poisonous fang is located on a bone, which is very mobile.

Therefore, when the snake’s mouth is closed, the tooth takes a horizontal position, but as soon as the creature opens its mouth slightly, the poisonous fang stands up and takes a vertical position.

Common viper. This particular type of snake is considered the most common. This reptile reaches half a meter, but there are also larger specimens, whose length from head to tip of tail is 80 centimeters.

Distinctive feature the viper is its pattern, reminiscent of a zigzag

The structure of her head is triangular, and this part stands out noticeably against her thick body. Nature has endowed vipers with a wide variety of shades - from inconspicuous gray to bright red-brown. There are also black, olive, silver, and bluish vipers.

Characteristic feature coloring is a dark zigzag running along the entire ridge. It is not so often that you can find a viper with dark stripes located across it. On the head of reptiles there is an identifying characteristic mark in the form of the letter V or X.

A clear black stripe runs through the center of the eyes along the entire area of ​​the head. Interesting fact: Snake catchers counted the number of scales on the body and found that there were 21 scales around the body in the middle part (rarely 19 or 23).

In principle, the snake will not bite innocent people. Only if an unwary traveler steps on her, then she will give a worthy rebuff. Such snakes are called peace-loving. She will prefer to quickly move away from the place where she can be noticed and hide.

Steppe viper. This species of reptile is much smaller in size than the previous species and an adult, as usual, can rarely reach half a meter. Unlike its relative the common viper, the steppe viper has a pointed, slightly raised snout.

Vipers have poor eyesight, which is compensated by their quick reaction

The nostrils cut through the lower part of the nasal septum. There is a black curving stripe along the entire length of the body and along the ridge. Dark spots appear clearly on the sides. If you turn the reptile onto its back, you can see that its belly is gray with numerous specks of a light shade.

If we compare steppe bite And common viper venom, then the first option will be less dangerous for humans. Gaboon viper. A striking representative of African venomous snakes. This is a truly respectable individual.

The Gabon viper is found in Africa

Its body is thick - 2.0 meters or more, and the weight of fattened individuals reaches 8-10 kg. The snake is quite remarkable for its bright variegated coloring, which resembles a painted carpet self made.

The drawings are filled with various geometric shapes various bright saturated colors - pink, cherry, lemon, milky, blue-black. This snake is recognized as one of the deadliest, but due to the fact that it is very phlegmatic, many believe that it is not as dangerous as everyone thinks about it.

You can pick her up by the tip of her tail without any danger to her health, put her back, and she won’t even want to make a menacing appearance. But teasing a snake is extremely undesirable, because it remains angry for a long time and it is unlikely that you will be able to “conspire” with it.

Among other things, the Gaboon viper has the longest teeth full of poison. Looking at photo of vipers can see features reptiles.

Snakes are not poisonous representatives of vipers. Distinguish snake from vipers can be seen by the bright orange spots located on the side of the head. In addition, they have round eye pupils, and in the previously described species, and in all others, the pupil is narrowed and located vertically.

Also, this type of snake does not have the characteristic zigzag on its back. Although the coloring of the water snake is very similar to the coloring of the viper, because many people confuse the checkerboard arrangement of spots with the characteristic meander along the ridge.

The photo shows a water snake, which, due to its similar color, is often confused with poisonous vipers

But up close you can see that the spots are interrupted and do not form a continuous zigzag. From the head to the tip of the tail it narrows evenly and a triangular head is unusual for him.

Viper food

By nature, all types of snakes are predators. They are capable of swallowing prey whole, and not only small rodents and birds, but also fairly large animals, such as others. Sometimes the prey is much thicker than the reptile’s body, which does not prevent the snake from swallowing it whole.

The viper is able to perform such actions thanks to the special joints of its jaws. Structure lower jaw allows you to stretch forward and then return to your original position.

In addition, the halves of the jaws are connected at the chin and, if necessary, can easily move apart.

The composition of the viper's diet depends on its habitat. Usually for lunch they prefer mice and. But chicks are their favorite food. Small animals, amphibians and lizards are added to this list. It is very interesting to watch the viper when it hunts.

The main prey of steppe vipers are rodents and insects. Being excellent at climbing trees, it is not difficult for them to check the nests of birds, as well as birdhouses, in order to find their favorite delicacy there - chicks. Bird eggs also bring them pleasure. However, this snake loves to pamper itself with a delicacy in the form of small ungulates.

The Gaboon viper is a hunter by nature. It will take a place in an ambush, wait until dusk, and when the warm-blooded animal approaches the required distance, it will pounce and swallow it whole. She loves to eat hares and other inhabitants of her range. She will not disdain to taste the dwarf, which has strayed from the herd.

Reproduction and lifespan

The mating season for snakes occurs in the spring - usually in May. The pregnancy of a viper, like many other reptiles of the reptile class, depends on the weather and ranges from three months to six months. What is most surprising is that sometimes a pregnant snake can even overwinter.

They usually give birth to 10-20 young of their own kind. When born, they immediately inherit poisonousness from their parents. A few hours after birth, the young individuals molt. You can observe an interesting moment during childbirth.

The photo shows the birth of a viviparous snake

The female wraps herself around the tree, and the born cubs fall straight to the ground. The cubs live on the forest floor or in burrows and feed on insects. A snake can begin to reproduce at a fairly advanced age for reptiles - about 5 years. Males become sexually mature at 4 years of age.

The average lifespan of vipers in nature is 10 years. Steppe vipers They begin to reproduce at 3 years of age. Life expectancy is shorter than common vipers, only 7-8 years old. The Gaboon viper, like all described species, is viviparous.

Males, like true gentlemen, never bite each other during courtship. The gestation period lasts about 12 months. She is capable of producing from 10 to 40 cubs.

“This summer it happened that for the first time in my life I was bitten by a snake, and not just any snake, but a viper. Bitten on thumb right hand. Next I will describe how everything happened, hour by hour, then by dates and with photos. The bite itself is not very painful, for me, the wasp bites more painfully. Blood flowed from the wound for about 10 minutes.

I sucked out the poison as much as I could while the wound was open. After about 5 minutes, I felt that my forearm began to go numb and hurt a little, then my shoulder, then my other shoulder. All this took about 15 minutes. Then the second shoulder let go. I felt a little dizzy, but I chalked it up to excitement, and it went away in just a minute. After half an hour, the hand at the site of the bite began to visibly swell. They took off all the rings and bracelets. Another half hour and I would have had to cut it short.

+ 45 minutes from a viper bite

An hour later, the hand was completely swollen and the swelling went higher to the forearm.

+ 1 hour 20 minutes

The head is a little loose, but not critical.

+ 2 hours

Volokolamsk, Central District Hospital - prednisolone was injected intramuscularly, 2 ampoules (2 ml). They have nothing else for such a case. They offered to go to their hospital. Refused. I could only sign the refusal with a cross. I couldn’t hold the pen - my fingers didn’t bend as needed.

Volokolamsk Central District Hospital

We're going to Moscow. The head is slightly dizzy, if you don’t spin and don’t hit bumps, it steers quite normally.

+ 4 hours

Emergency room at a clinic in Moscow, approximately 4 hours after the bite. The hand is slowly turning blue. An ambulance was called from the emergency room, which took him to the toxicology department of Sklif. Along the way, we put in one IV.

About the department itself acute poisoning for mental patients (this is where all adults with snake bites in Moscow end up) one thing can be said: it is the only one in all of Moscow and this is where everyone ends up with squirrels and overdoses. So it’s definitely not boring.

Upon admission, absolutely everything is taken away. You can't use the phone. If you had any valuable things, they are handed over for collection for collection. Upon discharge, every penny was returned to me. But those who get here in an unconscious state, as a rule, are very surprised by the lack of money, keys, etc.

Immediately they introduced 3 more IVs, antibiotics and, apparently, serum. By morning, the swelling began to subside, leaving in its place bruises along the veins and in places where there were more muscles.

+ 1 day

By the end of the second day, the swelling had completely subsided, leaving a bruise on the entire right arm. Squeeze something right hand almost impossible.

+ 1 day. A bruise appeared at night

I was released from the hospital on the third day. A man lay nearby with a bite to his leg. He had been lying here for a week already, and was left for further treatment.

The viper's venom had such a powerful effect on his body that the skin on his leg burst from swelling.

Discharged with adventures. They didn’t bring my things, but since I had been bitten, and not a drug addict, and I arrived in clothes, which is actually a rarity in this department, they sent me to another building with a note. Because of the wild heat, I walked home in a T-shirt. Quite epic: a T-shirt, tights and a hand riddled with needles. The doctors said that “nothing, everything will be ok - you have an extract from us with you, you can show it to the PEES people, if anything happens.” Considering where the extract is from, the statement is controversial.

On the third day, in the evening, the site of the serum injection began to hurt, as the surgeon at the clinic said in the morning, this is normal and will last for a long time. I was not mistaken... It hurt for about a week. At home the treatment was prescribed as follows:

• Liaton ointment - on the whole arm if possible (I applied it before bedtime);
• aspirin ACC - according to instructions.

+ 3 days

The whole arm is one big bruise. It’s not like saying hello - holding something hurts.

The drips left traces

Of course, one of the main fears of all our tourists and mushroom pickers. And the fears are not unfounded: in Russia, snakes can be found almost everywhere, and meeting them can be very unpleasant. However, there is no need to panic: death from the bite of a common viper is an exceptional phenomenon.

Common viper (Vipera berus)

The common viper is a small snake, 50-75 cm in length. The color is very different, they usually write that from gray and olive to red-brown, meet also black forms. However, from direct communication with citizens who saw the viper, it turns out that, at least in the Tambov region, the black uniform is main.

Common viper

Along the back there is a dark, clearly visible (except for the black uniform, of course) zigzag pattern. For lack of photos common viper, where the pattern would be visible, as an additional illustration I provide a photo in which it is approximately the same:

Steppe viper (Vipera ursinii) - shown to illustrate the pattern along the back

Lifestyle and habitats of the common viper

The common viper is widespread in forest-steppe zones throughout Europe and Asia, reaching in the north to the Arctic Circle. Lives in forests, swamps, as well as in forest plantations and on garden plots. It gravitates towards damp places, and therefore is often found along the banks of water bodies. As a rule, the lifestyle is sedentary, tied to the wintering place, for which it uses various cracks in the ground and rodent holes.

Coming out winter shelters V different time, depending on latitude. Usually - in the spring, in April-May. During this period, large concentrations of snakes can be observed in wintering areas, which then spread out, becoming more evenly distributed.

The common viper feeds on small animals, birds, frogs and lizards.

Reproduction of the common viper

Puberty in a viper occurs at 4-5 years of life, although, according to some data, it depends more on the size of the individual rather than on its age.

Mating games of vipers begin 2-4 weeks after leaving the winter quarters. During this period, males organize tournaments, usually without bloodshed. Pregnancy lasts 3 months, after which the female gives birth to 5-12 cubs 15-18 cm long.

An interesting feature of viper reproduction is the combined feeding of embryos. Beyond consumption nutrients from egg yolk, they also receive nutrition through circulatory system mother.

The lifespan of the common viper, according to various sources, is from 10 to 15 years. Some unique individuals lived to be 30, but this is the exception.

How dangerous is the common viper?

I am almost sure that most readers have little interest in such details as the method of nutrition of the viper embryo in the womb and the number of cubs in the litter. I believe that all the most pressing issues are somehow related to poisonous properties snakes, the consequences of the bite and the actions of the victim and his comrades if the bite occurs.

So, the degree of danger of the common viper is medium. Fatalities- are extremely rare. However, the consequences of a bite can knock a person out for a long time. normal life, not to mention completely ruining all short-term plans.

The snake itself is non-aggressive and timid; when a person appears (if he is noticed in a timely manner, of course), he immediately disappears. The problem is that the viper is short-sighted and deaf, and at the same time blends well with the substrate, so there is always a chance of suddenly running into it nose to nose.

Steps to prevent a viper bite

If the viper noticed you in a timely manner and began to hiss threatening poses- This is good. In such a situation, you need to very carefully, without sudden movements, without panic, move away from her to a safe distance.

The throw of the common viper is low and rarely reaches the knee, so boots and loose-fitting trousers are highly likely to protect against a bite when stepped on.

When walking through viper-dangerous places, you should not be secretive; when moving and searching for mushrooms, you should actively help yourself with a stick.

Vipers in the camp pose a particular danger. At night they can easily come to warm themselves by the fire, or, even worse, while we are warming ourselves by the fire, they can crawl into a tent and settle comfortably in an unfolded sleeping bag. And in this case, there is a high probability of getting a bite not on the leg, but somewhere much more dangerous place, so be careful! Do not leave the tent open; before climbing into it, check for uninvited guests.

I also can’t help but mention the Hungarian folk “drunken hedgehog method,” which I came across during my search. I quote:

To get rid of snakes, moles, mice, rats, toads and other creatures, Hungarian peasants did not know for many centuries the best remedy than a drunk hedgehog. It was believed that in a state of hangover, a hedgehog becomes even angrier and more merciless towards garden pests and more vigilant
protects the area where it lives from them. Therefore, the peasants placed troughs of beer under almost every bush. Jerzy - big fans alcohol - they did not keep themselves waiting long and gathered in large quantities at the polling stations.
The peasants locked their dogs in barns and sheepfolds at night so that they would not interfere with the hedgehogs’ work. In the fall, when the harvest was over, Hungary celebrated DAY OF THE DRUNKEN HEDGEHOG, similar to harvest days in other European countries.

What to do if you are bitten by a viper?

Offered to us in different sources the set of actions in this situation is more or less standard, although not without controversial issues.

1. In the first few minutes, try to suck out the poison, squeezing the tissue around the wound and constantly spitting. It is not recommended if you have wounds in the mouth, although in some places it is directly stated that wounds in the mouth are nonsense. You can try to suck out the poison using a jar, however, given its very rapid absorption, by the time the jar/glass/mug/matches/lighter is found, there will be no point in suctioning.
2. Keep the victim immobile.
3. Take something antihistamine.
4. Give plenty of fluids.
5. Take to medical institution for the introduction of the Anti-Viper serum.

• cauterize
• cut
• apply tourniquets
• Drink alcohol, except for disinfection of the bite site

In fact, the victim will most likely be alone, cellular and radio communications will not work, and the propeller from the only rescue helicopter was cut through by mechanic Sidorov. In addition, the trouble happened just after the route plan was changed, which no one except the victim knows about, so no one knows where to look for him.

On this page, a friend offers an algorithm of actions just in case of such a situation.

So, the bite occurred. Let's start immediately suction of poison, remembering that this measure is effective only in the first minutes after the bite. After 5-10 minutes, we give up trying, take medications (see below) and proceed to rookery equipment, make a fire, put water to boil. All this must be done quickly, because... after an hour and a half, temporary loss of vision and/or consciousness may occur. The author also recommends “taking care of the sewer system” for the period of possible incapacity.

It is assumed that we have in the first aid kit

• syringes,
• novocaine 2%,
• diphenhydramine,
• cordiamin,
• antibiotic wide range actions, such as doxycycline,
• rehydron.

So, we’ve finished the suction, now we take the following measures:

1. We disinfect the bite site.
2. We inject the bite site with novocaine (3-4 injections). If the tumor has already begun to form, prick along the edge.
3. We administer diphenhydramine and cordiamine intramuscularly.
4. We take an antibiotic to prevent possible inflammation and sepsis at the bite site.
5. We bring water with rehydron and drink.
6. We think about good things and wait for the body to cope with the poison. This place is now our home for a few days.

Concerning Anti-viper serum. There is no point in keeping it in the first aid kit, because Firstly, being a protein preparation, it is very sensitive to temperature conditions, which is impossible to observe on a hike, and, Secondly, the body may react to the administration of serum with anaphylactic shock, which under the described conditions is highly likely to lead to death.

However, upon closer study of the snake, it was isolated as a separate species and named after the zoologist Nikolsky (Vipera nikolskii).

The black viper has a slimmer build than the common viper. The body reaches a length of 765 mm, tail - 80 mm. Males are slightly smaller than females. The head is wide, large, clearly demarcated from the neck and slightly flattened. Iris colors. Adult snakes are always black in color, as can be seen in the photo. The viper may sometimes have white spots on the upper labial scutes. The underside of the tip of the snake's tail is yellow-orange or yellow. Juveniles are grey-brown with a zigzag pattern on the back. Brown. By the age of three, the pattern disappears and the color becomes dark.

The black viper lives in forest-steppe and steppe regions of the European part of Russia and the snake is recorded in Voronezh, Tambov, Penza, and is found in the valley and its basin. In the northeast, the habitat extends to the foothills of the Middle and Southern Urals.

The black viper usually sticks to broad-leaved trees forest areas and oak forests. IN summer time it can be found in clearings, clearings and forest edges. Prefers floodplain landscapes of the Vorona, Medveditsa, Khoper, Don, and Samara rivers. Summer and wintering habitats are apparently the same. In wet areas There are more than 500 representatives of the species per 1 km². The black viper begins to be active closer to mid-spring. Mating occurs in May, and in August the female gives birth to young (8-24 live individuals). The color of young snakes begins to darken after the first molt.

Nikolsky's viper is most active in daytime days. The snake's main food consists of small rodents and (in to a lesser extent) birds, frogs and lizards. IN in rare cases(apparently, in case of extreme food shortage), the black viper can feed on fish or carrion. The biology of this species has not yet been well studied.

The black viper, compared to colubrid snakes, moves more slowly, but swims very well. IN dangerous situations takes an S-shaped stance, hisses and lunges towards the offender. Nikolsky's viper is poisonous. For humans, its bites are very painful, but victims recover within a few days. The poison is a mixture of proteins, enzymes and inorganic components. It has a destructive effect on tissue, paralyzes nervous system and promotes blood clotting. Caught individuals secrete a liquid from the cloaca with a repulsive, unpleasant odor.

For a long time, this snake was considered a dark form of the common viper, based on the fact that in all its populations there is a certain percentage of melanists. However, after a thorough study of the ecology and morphology of this snake, it was given species status. This significantly increased the interest of specialists in its study. But opinions still differ. Some scientists continue to consider this snake to be just a subspecies of the main form.