The scientific name of this snake is Vipera Dinniki, given by the name of the Russian scientist Nikolai Yakovlevich Dinnik, who first described the species. The range is small, so few know about this snake. To get acquainted with the information about it is worth not only to inquisitive wildlife lovers, but also to those who plan to go on a trip to the Caucasus.
It is believed that this snake is one of the most beautiful among all representatives of the viper family. That is why, and not at all because of color, it is sometimes called the red viper.
Our article will talk about this reptile, safety precautions and some interesting facts.
External features
Photos of Dinnik vipers are striking in their diversity. The snake can have a variety of colors: black-orange, green striped or lemon yellow. Usually the color is bright, the lines are clear. Absolutely black individuals are also found (about 22%). Melanists are born colored, but by the third year of life, the color becomes completely black. By the way, this is a rather rare phenomenon: melanists of many species (for example, a related Caucasian viper) usually have dark spots on a black background.
In length, the red viper or Dinnik viper reaches 50-55 cm, that is, it has average sizes for the family.
Clear stripes, usually dark, pass in the middle of the back. The head shape is spear-shaped, characteristic of all vipers, pointed to the nose. The nose itself is slightly raised. Like the steppe viper, the head has clear, well-defined angles when viewed from above. Cervical constriction is expressed. The body of the snake is thickened evenly along the entire length, does not taper towards the tail (as, for example, in snakes). The tail is short, tapering sharply. The pupil is vertical, like a cat.
Spread
Dinnik's viper lives in the Greater Caucasus, on the territory of Russia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The main range extends east of Bolshaya Laba, and besides it, several isolated settlements are known on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria, Chechnya, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Adygea and Dagestan.
Behavior features
Dinnik's viper is found in alpine and subalpine zones, at an altitude of 1.5 to 3 km. This snake does not like open areas, prefers thickets overgrown with scree vegetation.
In river valleys, where dark coniferous forests are absent, the Dinnik viper settles near the Caucasian one, and individuals with traits of both species are found in these places (which means interspecific hybridization is possible).
These snakes lead a daily life, but are mainly active in the morning and evening hours. If there is cloudy gloomy weather, the viper can be active during the day.
In October, snakes leave for the winter. Wintering places are usually located in the immediate vicinity of habitual habitats. The males were the first to leave the shelter at the end of March, and later the females also woke up.
Hunting and nutrition
Dinnik's viper is a predatory animal. Adults prey mainly on rodents: mice, mice, shrews. With a lack of food, they can attack small birds. Yearlings prey on insects and lizards.
On animals that are superior in size, this snake never attacks. The red viper kills the victim, like many of its brethren, with the help of poison. The structure of the jaw is common for vipers: chewing teeth are poorly developed, the fangs are sharp and long, but they can only perform the function of hooks clinging to the flesh. Therefore, the snake does not gnaw and does not chew food, but tears it into pieces, which it then swallows.
Breeding
Vipers reach puberty in the third year of life. The mating season begins in late April - early May. About three months after mating, the female gives birth to 3 to 7 cubs. Newborn snakes have a body length of up to 18 cm and a body weight of 3.1 g.
In the highlands, the dates are slightly shifted. Pairing and mating usually occurs in early June, cubs are born in late summer. It is assumed that alpine females reproduce offspring not annually, but once every 2-3 years.
Scientists have noticed that in cold regions newborn babies do not feed, and soon after birth they go to shelters and hibernate until next spring.
Human Hazards and Precautions
This snake is poisonous, the poison contains a hemolytic toxin, characteristic of all members of the family. She lives in places that are very popular among campers. Therefore, it is important not only to be able to recognize these snakes, but also to know how to behave when meeting.
It must be understood that no viper considers a person as a hunting object. She can only bite while defending herself.
Experts advise to carefully inspect the area. In the grass and on the stones, this bright snake is very distinguishable. Do not try to attack her, beat with a stick, throw stones. An alarmed or wounded reptile can launch a counterattack, and it is quite possible that it will show more agility than a person.
In the event of a bite, medical attention is urgently needed. The victim must be taken to the hospital as soon as possible. It makes sense to immediately suck the poison out of the wound, washing the mouth and the bite site with water as often as possible.
If the incident happened in a remote area and fast transportation is impossible, it is necessary to lay the person so that the head is lower than the legs (this stabilizes intracranial pressure). To reduce the concentration of poison in the body helps to drink plenty, better warm. A tourniquet is impractical to apply, but a tight tissue dressing above the site of the bite is desirable - it will reduce the rate of spread of poison with lymph, but will not interfere with blood circulation. To stabilize the condition of the victim, you can give him an anti-inflammatory and antihistamine medicine, but it is desirable that this happens under the supervision of a physician, and not intuitively.
Even if first aid is provided competently and in full, the issue of transportation must be addressed as quickly as possible. Consulting a doctor for a victim of a viper bite is vital!
Red Book Status
In fairness, we note that this snake suffers from a person much more than harm him. In the Red Book, the viper Dinnik is a vulnerable species. This is due not so much to physical extermination as to human activities: deforestation, grazing in meadows, cultivation of land for agricultural land.