9 Types of Snakes That Live in Ukraine! (ID Guide)
Do you want to learn about the types of snakes found in Ukraine?
If so, you have come to the right place. In the article below, I have listed the snakes you can expect to see. For each species, you will find out how to identify that snake correctly, along with pictures, interesting facts, and RANGE MAPS!
You’ll see that the snakes that live in Ukraine are very different from each other. They range from venomous species to snakes that use constriction to immobilize their prey. In addition, certain snakes are common to find living around people. My guess is that you have seen at least one of the snakes below in your yard. 🙂
9 types of snakes that live in Ukraine:
#1. Smooth Snake
- Coronella austriaca
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow between 60 cm – 75 cm (23.5 – 29.5 inches) long.
- On the top of the head is a dark marking which is often in the shape of a crown.
- Usually dark brown or gray in color. Two rows of indistinct dark spots run down its back.
- As the name suggests, the scales of Smooth Snakes are very smooth and flat to the touch.
These small and slender snakes can be hard to find in Ukraine because they are secretive.
Even when Smooth Snakes bask in the sun, they intertwine amongst plants to keep camouflaged. They are sometimes found after rain showers when individuals must leave their hiding places to escape the water and bask more openly.
Smooth Snake Range Map
Their primary prey is other reptiles, such as small lizards. But they will eat small mammals and birds occasionally. When threatened, they try to remain motionless and undetected, but Smooth Snakes won’t hesitate to bite when captured.
Interestingly, Smooth Snakes are ovoviviparous. This term means that the eggs are incubated internally, giving birth to live young!
#2. Adder
- Vipera berus
Also known as the Common European Adder / Viper.
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults average around 55 cm (22 in) long.
- Color varies and can be brown, red, or light grey with a zigzag stripe on the back. But some individuals are entirely black.
- The head is fairly large and distinct and has a distinctive dark V or X on the back.
Despite being venomous, Adders are not considered an incredibly dangerous snake in Ukraine.
Luckily, they are not very aggressive and rarely bite unless stepped on, picked up, or provoked. If you are bitten, their venom is quite painful and causes swelling, internal hemorrhaging, and necrosis. While the venom can be lethal, deaths are incredibly rare.
Adder Range Map
Adders are found in many habitats, such as forest clearings, marshlands, heathlands, pastures with hedgerows, and even alpine meadows in the Alps. They mostly eat small mammals, but lizards, birds, and frogs are taken when available.
Because of their large distribution and a broad range of habitats, the population of Adders is currently not threatened. But their numbers are decreasing slightly due to habitat loss for agriculture and collecting them for the pet trade and venom extraction.
#3. Grass Snake
- Natrix natrix
Also commonly called the Ringed Snake or Water Snake.
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults can grow up to 150 cm (59 inches) long.
- Coloration is usually olive-green, brown, or greyish.
- Rows of black spots on the back and a row of black bars or spots on the sides.
- They have a characteristic black-bordered yellow collar behind the head.
This species is one of the most common snakes in Ukraine!
Being strong swimmers, look for them near wet areas, such as ponds, lakes, streams, ditches, and marshes. But it’s not surprising to find a Grass Snake in drier habitats, such as backyard gardens, open woodlands, and grasslands.
Grass Snake Range Map
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They are NOT venomous and rarely bite when captured or threatened. Instead, you can expect them to hiss and spray a smelly substance from their anal glands. If this doesn’t work, they may pretend to be dead, flipping over and letting their tongue hang out of their mouth. Interestingly, Grass Snakes sometimes act like a cobra, where they raise the front of their body and flatten their heads to resemble a hood!
Grass Snakes mostly eat amphibians, such as frogs and toads. They are not ambush predators and actively search for their prey using their keen eyesight and sense of smell. In addition, they eat their prey alive without the use of constriction.
#4. Aesculapian Snake
- Zamenis longissimus
Identifying Characteristics:
- A long and slender snake that grows up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) in length.
- It is typically a dark bronze color with very smooth scales, which give it a metallic sheen. But adults can also be olive-yellow, brownish-green, or almost black.
- White freckles appear on the body of many individuals.
The best place to look for Aesculapian Snakes in Ukraine is humid forests.
Make sure to look up because they are excellent climbers, having no problem ascending vertical tree trunks without branches. They don’t try to avoid humans, and they are sometimes found in sheds, gardens, and stonewalls.
Aesculapian Snake Range Map
Their main food source comes from small rodents, but they will eat birds and their eggs when given the chance. Being constrictors, they suffocate their prey before consuming it.
Despite being fairly common, Aescuplapian Snakes are rarely seen due to their secretive nature. They blend in well with their surroundings, in addition to spending lots of their time in tree canopies. When they are found, they first try to sneak away to hide instead of standing their ground aggressively like other types of snakes.
#5. Dice Snake
- Natrix tessellata
Identifying Characteristics:
- Their typical size is 100 – 130 cm (39–51 in) long.
- Their color varies from greyish green to brownish or almost black, with dark spots on the back.
To find this snake in Ukraine, it’s best to look in the water!
In fact, the Dice Snake is such a great swimmer and spends so much time in aquatic habitats, it’s also commonly called the Tessellated Water Snake. In addition, its primary food is fish, although amphibians are sometimes consumed too.
Dice Snake Range Map
If you ever see underneath a Dice Snake, the belly is sometimes colored vividly in yellow or orange, with black spots. The pattern is very similar to dice, which is how they got their name!
#6. Leopard Snake
- Zamenis situla
Also commonly called the European Ratsnake.
Identifying Characteristics:
- Morph #1: Gray or tan with a series of reddish or brown blotches down the back, which are outlined in black (pictured above).
- Morph #2: Longitudinal lines decorate the back instead of blotches.
- There is usually a Y-shaped marking on the back of the head. Also, a black streak from the corner of the mouth extends towards the edge of the eye.
- Typically grows to around 90 cm (35.5 in) in length, but some individuals grow even larger.
Look for Leopard Snakes in fairly dry, stony habitats. It’s also common for them to live near human-altered environments, such as vineyards and olive groves that include stone walls or old ruins. To find one of these snakes, you will probably need to uncover them from underneath natural and man-made objects.
Leopard Snake Range Map
As their other name suggests (European Ratsnake), mice form a major part of their diet. Before consuming, they kill their prey using constriction.
Leopard Snakes are typically calm. They may rattle their tail at you when they feel threatened, but they don’t bite often.
#7. Caspian Whipsnake
- Dolichophis caspius
Identifying Characteristics:
- A large, strong snake that grows up to 200 cm / 79 in.
- They are silver-grey to beige-brown.
- Poorly defined, longitudinal lines along the body.
This species is the LONGEST snake in Ukraine!
While the average Caspian Whipsnake grows to around 140-160 cm (55-63 in), the record individual was around 250 cm (98 in) in length! Look for them during the day in a wide variety of warm and sunny habitats.
Not only are they long, but Caspian Whipsnakes are also fast and actively hunt their prey, which includes small mammals, birds, and reptiles. In addition, they are valued by farmers as natural pest control for their ability to eat large numbers of rodents.
Luckily, these snakes are not venomous because they are VERY aggressive. When they feel threatened, they raise their body while hissing loudly, and they may even jump toward you. And be careful if you handle one because they will bite quickly and readily.
#8. Blotched Snake
- Elaphe sauromates
Also called the East Four-lined Ratsnake.
Identifying Characteristics:
- The average adult length is 120 cm to 160 cm (47 – 63 inches). But some individuals have approached 250 cm (98 inches).
- Yellowish body. Faded dark blotches run down the body.
- A dark line runs from the eye towards the back of their mouth.
The Blotched Snake is found in eastern Europe in open lowland areas, such as river valleys, open deciduous forests, and dry grassy plains.
These snakes are large but also aggressive when captured. So if you try to handle one, you can expect to be bitten.
#9. Steppe Viper
- Vipera renardi
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults can grow up to 65 cm in total length.
- They are gray with a dark wavy dorsal stripe, which is edged with black.
- The snout is NOT upturned, like the Asp Viper.
These snakes can be hard to find in Ukraine!
In fact, they are in danger of going extinct, with only a few scattered populations remaining. Their main threats include habitat destruction due to agriculture and climate change in mountain areas, which is where many of them are found.
Steppe Viper Range Map
Steppe Vipers are among the smallest venomous vipers on the continent. But despite their size, they are incredibly feisty when they feel threatened. So you can expect an upset snake to hiss and strike in defense.
Luckily, their venom is probably the least dangerous of the European vipers, although the bite can still be painful and cause internal hemorrhaging.
Do you need more help identifying a snake you saw in Ukraine?
If so, check out this field guide, which is full of great information!
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Which of these snakes have you seen before in Ukraine?
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