How dangerous a snake is for a human

Medynka vulgaris is an elegant, agile snake with a very interesting coloring. This reptile is very smart, able to do tricks, which most of its fellow snakes are not capable of. Snake Copper, if it is raised above the ground by the tail, it can sharply bend, reach out and bite the insolent abuser by the fingers. Medynka is common from Western Siberia to Western Europe, but is more common in southern regions.

The color of the top of her body is beige, brown-brown or gray with longitudinal small dark spots. The belly is gray or brown-brown with a silvery outflow and a pattern of dark spots. In males that have reached sexual maturity, the belly is colored in orange or brick-red tones. Males are slightly smaller than females. On the nape there are two patches in the shape of a diamond, which sometimes merge with each other. From eye to nostril, and then to the corner of the mouth stretches a wide band of dark color. Snake Copper has round pupils and a red-brown iris of the eyes with a golden hue. The length of the reptile reaches up to 80 cm. Shields on the trunk and tail are smooth.

Because of its impressive size and high aggressiveness, this snake is often mistaken for a viper and killed. Partly because of this, and partly because of the deteriorating living conditions, it is listed in the Red Book. Some people think that a copper snake is poisonous and dangerous to humans, but it is not. Its poison is dangerous only for rodents or lizards. From the viper this reptile is distinguished by a narrower head with a barely noticeable cervical interception, larger head scars, smoother scales and round pupils (vertical at the viper).

Snake Copper dwells in mosaic dry forests, occurs in overgrown felling, in sunny glades, the edges of dry pine forests, like hilly terrain. Avoids the snake shores of water bodies and wetlands. Sometimes it can be found along the roads and railway embankments. Habitats depend on the presence of the main food, which is made for lassatives lizards.

Unlike many other reptiles, the copper snake is a territorial snake, and for many years resides on a well-defined site, not exceeding 1 ha. At the time of danger, a Copper tries to hide in the shelter, but can also defend himself by attacking the offender. Ordinary shelters for it are heap heap, rodent burrows, tree roots and rotten stumps.

Snake copper in winter hibernates and awakens around mid-April, when the average daily temperature begins to exceed 15 ° C. The marriage period begins in May. She is an egg-eating snake. Fecundity of females is 5-10 cubs. The embryos develop for about 2.5 months, and the young are born from the end of July to the middle of August. Medyanka is most active during the day, very fond of basking in the sun, especially in the morning.

The general ubiquitous downward trend in the number of these snakes is due to the fact that their main food is lizards, which in recent times are becoming smaller themselves.

This fodder base is not as reliable as snakes, which feed not only lizards, but also small rodents and frogs.

Copper does it only with an extreme degree of lack of habitual forage. In such periods, these reptiles can even observe cannibalism. In many countries the snake is protected by law.