LEOPARD SNAKE
Of the 7 species of snake here on the island, this gorgeous reptile was the one I most wanted to see. It only took me 6 years! The leopard snake is also called the European ratsnake and can grow up to 1 metre long. It is easy to identify. The background colour can be grey, yellowish or beige with either black bordered red blotches or longitudinal lines. There are also black or red spots along the flanks. There is usually a "Y" shaped marking on the head which extends between the eyes. The eye pupil is round with a copper red iris.
This snake can be found in many habitats on the island and can be seen from ground level up to 1,600m above sea level. Dry stoney scrubland, pastureland, olive groves, and rural gardens are favoured, but also barns, rubbish dumps and old ruins. Because of its love of mice and other small rodents, the Greeks call it the "house snake". The leopard snake is diurnal (about during the day), but during warmer weather, it can be nocturnal. This specimen was spotted before sunrise. This snake can also be seen just after rain showers. As well as rodents, leopard snakes will climb walls, bushes and trees, looking for lizards and birds. They are nonvenomous and kill by constriction. Mating takes place between March and May, eggs are laid in July, and the young emerge in August or September.
