Recently, in the press you can often see notes about snakes in the Sea of Azov. Is it true or fiction? Do snakes live in salty sea water, if so, what kind of snakes? We will try to figure it out and give an answer to all questions.
Sea snakes
According to the science of snakes - serpentology, sea snakes are found exclusively in the tropics. The waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Red Sea for them are "home". They stay at the water's edge, but can swim into the sea at a distance of up to 50 kilometers. The snake is distinguished by its bright colors, as a rule, it has a straightforward pattern - alternating rings. They are not at all like snakes in the Sea of Azov.
The sea snake of a bonito has a different color. The abdomen and sides are light yellow, almost white, the head and back are black. She has black spots on her flat tail. This snake can be found even at the Cape of Good Hope and in the Sea of Japan. Another difference between sea snakes and their terrestrial counterparts is a slightly flattened body on the sides and a flat, flattened ribbon-like or oar-like tail, often a small head, adapted to be able to stick it between the stones during the hunt.
What else distinguishes them from snakes in the Sea of Azov is the location of the nostrils. They are located on top of the head, and not on the sides, like ours. This helps to keep your head above the water while swimming, as the snake can be under water for no more than an hour. Most sea snakes are poisonous because when they hunt, they first bite the prey and then swallow it whole. Moreover, their poison is several times stronger than that of ordinary poisonous reptiles.
Sea snakes
Not a single case of the appearance of sea snakes in the Sea of Azov, in Yeysk in particular, has been recorded. Sea snakes live here, which do not have characteristic red or yellow spots on their heads. Therefore, they are often confused with vipers.
Water snakes live among the stones on the shore, swimming in the sea for hunting. Their prey is a sea fish, mostly bull-calves, amphibians. The fishermen talked about the fact that they came across a fish with a snake that grabbed onto it. In summer, a snake has a checkered on the back, and the abdomen is colored. Length can reach up to a meter. It is such snakes in the Sea of Azov that are found. They do not need to be afraid, much less kill. They are completely harmless.
As soon as the people call it water snakes, and "a hybrid of snake and viper", and "chess". His careless appearance on the beach causes a stir, and often the fate of the snake ends in failure.
Are water snakes dangerous
Hearing the question "Are snakes dangerous in the Sea of Azov?", I want to reassure everyone: the water one does not pose any danger. When defended, it can emit a loud hiss and throw off fetid excrement. He does not attack people and tries not to catch their eye. He also does not use the "cunning" maneuver of his land brother - he does not pretend to be dead.
Water snakes feed exclusively on fish. During the hunt, they lie in wait for it near the snags or lie at the bottom, waiting for prey. She will not be able to swallow the fish in water, therefore she pulls it to the shore, where, having turned her head to it, she slowly swallows it.
The difference between water snake and viper
As mentioned above, the water snake has no identification marks - yellow-orange spots on the head. Its chess coloring from afar resembles a viper. How can they be distinguished from each other? The first sign is the head. The viper has a triangular shape, it already has an oval-shaped head. The pupil of the viper is vertical, and the pupil is round.
The scales of the snake are much larger than that of the viper. The maximum size of the viper reaches 70 cm, and the snakes reach 110 cm. The bite of the viper is not fatal, since it is equal to the bites of several bees. Maximum effects: chills and fever. People with an allergy to bee venom tolerate it poorly.