Authorities search for adders and smooth snakes

Native snake species are increasingly dependent on the protection of their habitats. The Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district office asked the public for support on Monday. Specifically, it is about the rare smooth snake and the adder - the "Reptile of the Year 2024" in Germany. Anyone who spots the two snakes in the region should report this to the district's nature conservation authority with the exact location where they were found and document it with a photo. Both snake species are becoming increasingly rare. "In order to protect them and their dwindling habitats in a meaningful way, it is necessary to find out exactly where they live."

Cross snakes are considered highly endangered in Saxony and the neighboring Czech Republic. They are brownish or grey in color, have a black serrated pattern on their backs and feed on mice, lizards or frogs. Adders are venomous snakes. "But they use this venom very sparingly, as they need it for hunting. They only use it to defend themselves if they are very disturbed or cornered," the nature conservation authority's fact sheet said. A bite is not harmless to humans, but it is not fatal either. Anyone who spots the snake should keep their distance if possible.

If you spot a smooth snake in Saxon Switzerland or the Eastern Ore Mountains, you are very lucky. This is because this snake is very rare in the region. "Their pupil is round - in contrast to the slit-shaped pupil of the adder. Smooth snakes have a brown-black, often heart-shaped or horseshoe-shaped spot on their neck," the authority added.