Where do steppe vipers live. steppe viper

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Type Chordates - Chordata
Class reptiles
detachment Scaly - Squamata
Family Viper family - Viperidae.
View Steppe viper - Pelias renardi (Christoph, 1861)

Status. 3 "Rare" - 3, RD.

Global population endangered category on the IUCN Red List

Not included in the IUCN Red List.

Category according to IUCN Red List criteria

The regional population is categorized as Near Threatened, NT. B. S. Tuniev.

Belonging to the objects of action of international agreements and conventions ratified by the Russian Federation

Do not belong.

Brief morphological description

The length of the body with the tail reaches 635 mm for ♂ and 735 mm for ♀. Two variants of coloration are noted: cryptic and melanistic. Cryptic (typical) coloration is represented by various variants of gray and brown with a dark brown or black zigzag stripe on the back. Melanistic individuals in the region represent about a fifth of the population, although in some groups the number of melanists can reach 44%.

Spreading

The global range covers the steppe and semi-desert zones of Southeastern Europe, Kazakhstan and Central Asia. In the Russian Federation, it is found from the Volga-Kama Territory in the north to Ciscaucasia in the south and Altai in the east. The regional range covers the plains and foothills north of the line Anapa - Abrau-Dyurso - Novorossiysk - Abinsk - Goryachiy Klyuch - Khadyzhensk - Psebay. Type area: Sarepta, Lower Volga (Russia).

Features of biology and ecology

The steppe viper is found on the plains of various types (loess, alluvial-loess, terraced), on the hills in the lower mountains. Inhabits forest edges, shrub associations, shiblyaks, steppe slopes. In the southeast of the range in the region it rises up to 1000 m above sea level. sea, able to live on sandy sea spits.

In the conditions of an anthropogenic landscape, it forms ribbon settlements along inconvenient and waste areas, forest plantations, etc. . From wintering grounds appear in March, activity continues until the first days of November, the average duration of activity of vipers in the region is 230 days. In spring and autumn, vipers are active during the day; in July–August, two-peak activity was noted.

Diet includes invertebrates and vertebrates. Mating takes place en masse in April. The birth of young takes place from the end of June to the first days of September. In broods, from 3 to 18 individuals were noted.

Numbers and trends

In the vicinity of the village of Raevskaya, there were 2–3 individuals of the steppe viper per 2 km of the route, on the ridge. Gerpegem - 2 individuals per 1 km, in the vicinity of the Saratovskaya station - up to 4 individuals per 1 ha, on the Yasenskaya Spit - 5 individuals per 1 km. The maximum density of populations in the region is 30 individuals per 1 ha, with an average density of 11 individuals. per 1 ha.

Limiting factors

Transformation of steppe and forest-steppe landscapes, direct destruction by man led to a reduction in the number and range of the species

Necessary and additional security measures

Organization of micro-reserves in dense habitats of the species.

Information sources. 1. Anan'eva et al., 2004; 2. Ostrovskikh, 1997; 3. Ostrovskikh, 2003; 4. Ostrovskikh and Plotnikov, 2003a; 5. Ostrovskikh and Plotnikov, 2003b; 6. Unpublished data of compilers. Compiled by B. S. Tuniev, S. B. Tuniev. Bird class - Aves

Cited literature: , classification - https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki

Steppe viper (Vipera ursinii) - poisonous snake, a representative of the genus of real vipers, widely known in Russia.

Description of the steppe viper

The length of the body of a reptile with a head is on average 45-48 cm; a well-known record for this species is 70 cm. Females are slightly larger than males.

From above, the snake is brownish-gray in color with the same zigzag stripe along the ridge as in the common viper. Sometimes this band is broken into separate spots. On the head there is a symmetrical pattern of dark spots. Completely black individuals (melanists) among this species are very rare.

From the steppe, first of all, it differs in smaller sizes. In addition, the upper side of its head sharply passes into the lateral one, forming a pronounced rib, as a result, the lateral edge of its muzzle is pointed (it is rounded in the common one) and somewhat raised above its upper part.

habitats

The steppe viper is common in Central Asia, in the middle and Eastern Europe, in Northwest China, Turkey, Iran, Kazakhstan and the Caucasus. It's pretty normal view for the south of Western Siberia and the south of the European part of Russia (in the north, its habitat reaches Kazan).

Unlike the common viper, the steppe viper is found on open spaces. No wonder she got such a name: her favorite habitats - Various types steppes. She also lives on the rocky slopes of mountains, alpine meadows, sea ​​coasts, in riverine forests, ravines, semi-deserts and loosely fixed sands. It can also be found in pastures and fields.

In favorable habitats, its population density is extremely high. For example, in Kazakhstan, in the thickets of tea, the number of these snakes can reach up to 45 individuals per 1 ha, and in Ciscaucasia - up to 60! In such places, you can’t take a step so as not to stumble upon this snake. However, the steppe viper does not have such obvious “snake foci” as are known in the common viper - it is more evenly distributed.

The poisonousness of the steppe viper

The venom of this snake is not very strong. No cases of death from her bite of people or large animals have been recorded. Usually after 5-12 days the victim fully recovers.

Symptoms of poisoning are the same as with the bite of other vipers. In the affected area, there is a feeling of a prick, the skin turns red, a trace of two teeth is visible. After 10-20 minutes, swelling occurs at the site of the bite, sometimes significant. After a few hours, bruising and bloody blisters may appear. In addition, there appear characteristics toxic poisoning: dizziness and nausea, sometimes vomiting, severe weakness, chills, pain in various parts of the body, palpitations, shortness of breath.

The action of the poison is directly related to its amount that has entered the body. The amount of poison, in turn, depends on:

• season (in autumn, snakes have more poison than at other times of the year);
• the size and age of the reptile (more poison in large and old individuals);
• the interval between meals by the snake (in well-fed snakes it is present in more than those of the hungry);
• molting stages (reptiles that are shedding at a given time have more poison);
• the time interval between bites (the full volume of poison in a reptile is restored after 2 weeks).

The venom of the steppe viper also finds industrial application. These snakes, like common vipers, are kept in snake nurseries.

Lifestyle of a snake

The steppe viper leads a terrestrial lifestyle, preferring dry and sunny places. It can also crawl up trees: there are cases when they were found at a height of four meters. In addition, the reptile swims well.

The steppe viper is a diurnal snake. In spring and autumn, most often it can be found in the middle of the day. In summer, it is active in the morning and evening, and during the hot hours it sits in shelters.

Nutrition Features

The diet of the steppe viper is fundamentally different from the diet of its closest relatives. It does not feed on small mammals and lizards, but, oddly enough, insects! IN summer time she preys almost exclusively on orthoptera - locusts, grasshoppers, grasshoppers, which she catches in large quantities.

In the spring, when there are no adult insects yet, the steppe vipers have no choice but to try to hunt small rodents, lizards and anurans. However, luck does not always smile on them: most often their stomachs remain empty, because catching such prey is not an easy task for them. Sometimes they include in their diet other food available to them: spiders, lark chicks, oatmeal and other small birds, bird eggs. It happens that frogs become their prey.

After the prey is captured, vipers usually swallow it alive without using their poisonous apparatus. They digest food for two to four days.

reproduction

The mating season for steppe vipers falls on the beginning - mid-April. At this time, males are actively looking for females. Like their relatives, this species often suits mating games: you can often find "balls" of snakes of 6-8 individuals - usually from one female and several males attracted by her competing with each other. Also, males arrange ritual fights - the so-called "dances".

After the mating period, males, and especially females, rest for a long time in open places, basking in the sun. At this time, they often catch the eye of a person.

The pregnancy of the steppe viper lasts from 90 to 130 days. The female brings live cubs; in one litter there can be a lot of them - up to 28, but usually 5-6. The length of newborn vipers is 12-18 cm. They feed mainly on various insects. Shortly after birth, they molt (by the way, adults molt 3 times a year). In the third year of life, they reach a length of 30-35 cm and can already bear offspring.

Wintering

These snakes overwinter singly or in small groups in cracks in the soil, in rodent burrows, in voids between stones and other suitable shelters.

It is interesting that the steppe viper leaves for wintering in the places of its distribution later than all other reptiles, and in the spring it appears earlier than others - in the south of the range already in late February - early March. It can be found even in winter, during the thaw, when the temperature rises to + 4 ° C.

Enemies of the steppe viper

When meeting with a person or other possible danger, the reptile tries to retreat as quickly as possible. But since she is rather slow, she does not always manage to crawl away. In this case, she actively defends herself, raising her head on an S-shaped curved neck, which at any moment her head is instantly “thrown” towards the enemy. And she has enough enemies: these are owls, steppe eagles, harriers, black storks, hedgehogs, badgers, foxes, wild boars, steppe ferrets. But, as for many other representatives of the fauna, the most serious enemy for her is man. People catch reptiles in order to extract snake venom, and often kill any snake they meet on the way simply because of their ignorance - a lot of vipers die only because of superstitious fears of snakes.

IN last years the population of the steppe viper is noticeably reduced. This happens due to the plowing of the steppes, construction and reclamation work, as well as due to direct destruction by man.

In contact with

It is prevalent in all European countries, where there are forest-steppes, in Ukraine it can be found in the Black Sea and Crimea, and in Russia - in the European part of the steppes and forest-steppes, in the foothills North Caucasus. This snake also lives in Asia: in Kazakhstan, Southern Siberia, in Altai. However, due to active plowing of land, the number of this species of reptiles has noticeably decreased, and in European countries the animal is under protection. In Ukraine and Russia, the reptile is listed in the national Red Books.

The steppe viper is a rather characteristic animal, and it is difficult to confuse it with a snake or a non-venomous snake. The size of the reptile is from 55 to 63 centimeters, with females being larger than males. This species is distinguished from other snakes by some elevation of the edges of the muzzle, which gives it the appearance of "grinning". On the sides, the scales are painted in gray-brown tones, and the back is lighter with a distinct zigzag stripe running along the ridge. There is also a dark pattern on the forehead. The abdomen is light, with gray spots.

From hibernation, these reptiles wake up depending on climatic conditions when the temperature is set to at least seven degrees Celsius. And in April or May they have mating season. In spring and autumn, the snake comes out of its hiding place only during the warmest time of the day, and in summer it can be seen in the morning and evening hours. What do snakes of this species eat? Small rodents, chicks, but the main diet is insects, mainly fat locusts. Therefore, the animal is considered useful for Agriculture. The reptile and lizards do not disdain. In turn, the reptile serves as food for others. It is also devoured by a larger lizard snake.

The steppe viper is viviparous. In August, the female brings in one litter from three to ten kites. Newborns weigh about 4 grams with a body length of 11-13 centimeters. Small vipers reach puberty only in the third year of life, when they grow up to 27-30 centimeters. Juveniles quite often, adults less often, change skin. To do this, the snakes climb into the crevice and begin to rub against the stones until cracks appear at the lips. After that, the individual crawls out of the skin, like from an old stocking.

Russia, including snakes, for the most part are not dangerous. But vipers in this sense are an exception. However, rumors about the dangers of their poison are somewhat exaggerated. An encounter with this snake can be fatal for a small animal such as a dog, but not for humans. Its bite is rather painful. In its place, edema rapidly develops, which spreads far beyond the affected foot. Hemorrhagic blisters and even necrotic areas may form. The bitten person has dizziness, increased heart rate, drowsiness, nausea, and a decrease in overall body temperature.

If you or your companion is bitten by a steppe viper, it is necessary to provide first aid to the victim as soon as possible. To do this, wrap the area of ​​​​the body above the bite with a cloth twisted into a tourniquet. Basically, snakes sting in the foot (sometimes in the hand, when a person accidentally, in search of mushrooms or berries, stumbles upon an animal). The tourniquet must be applied firmly to prevent the outflow of infected blood. Then squeeze out the poisoned blood through the wounds left by the viper's teeth. After this, the patient should still be taken to the doctor - to avoid complications and allergic reactions. Serum "Anti-gyurza" has proven itself well.