Reproduction of snakes. How many years does a snake live in captivity and in the wild? How long does a snake live

18.10.2019

According to serious sources, the long age of snakes is greatly exaggerated. It is possible to calculate how many snakes live only in serpentaria and zoos, and the years of life of free reptiles, in principle, cannot be counted.

How many years do snakes live

Upon closer examination, information about snakes that have crossed a half-century (and even a century) milestone turns out to be nothing more than conjecture.

Five years ago, in 2012, a curious and full of specifics interview with Dmitry Borisovich Vasilyev, Doctor of Veterinary Sciences, leading herpetologist of the Moscow Zoo, appeared. He owns over 70 scientific works and the first domestic monographs on the maintenance, ailments and treatment of reptiles, including snakes. Vasilyev was awarded the most prestigious Russian veterinary award, the Golden Scalpel, three times.

It is interesting! In general, according to many years of observations by a veterinarian, snakes have a longer list of ailments than other reptiles: more viral diseases, many diseases provoked by poor metabolism, and oncology is diagnosed 100 times more often.

Against the background of these data, it is a little strange to talk about the longevity of snakes, but there is also a separate encouraging statistics for the Moscow Zoo, which should be specially mentioned.

Record holders of the Moscow Zoo

Vasiliev is proud of the collection of reptiles that was collected and bred here with his direct participation (240 species), calling it a very significant achievement.

The metropolitan terrarium contains not just a lot of poisonous snakes: among them there are the rarest specimens that are not found in other zoos in the world. Many species were bred for the first time. According to the scientist, he managed to get more than 12 species of cobras and even the red-headed krait, a reptile that had previously not given offspring in captivity. This beautiful poisonous creature devours exclusively snakes, going out to hunt at night.

It is interesting! Ludwig Trutnau, a well-known herpetologist from Germany, was amazed to see a krait in the Moscow Zoo (the snake lived with him for 1.5 years and he considered it an impressive period). In our country, says Vasiliev, kraits have been living and breeding since 1998.

For ten years, black pythons lived in the Moscow Zoo, although they did not “linger” in the world for more than a year and a half in any zoo. To do this, Vasiliev had to do a lot of preparatory work, in particular, go to New Guinea and live for a month among the Papuans, studying the habits of black pythons.

Long-lived snakes

According to the World Wide Web, the oldest snake on the planet was common boa constrictor named Popeya, who completed his earthly journey at the age of 40 years 3 months and 14 days. The long-liver passed away on April 15, 1977 at the Philadelphia Zoo (Pennsylvania, USA).

Another aksakal of the snake kingdom, a reticulated python from the Pittsburgh Zoo, lived 8 years less than Popeye, who died at the age of 32. The Washington Zoo raised its centenarian, the anaconda, which lasted up to 28 years. Also in 1958, information appeared about a cobra that had lived in captivity for 24 years.

Speaking of general principles snake longevity, herpetologists insist that it is due not so much to the type of reptile as to its dimensions. So, large reptiles, including pythons, live on average for 25-30 years, and small ones, such as snakes, already half that. But even such a life expectancy, after all, is not mass, but occurs in the form of exceptions.

Existence in wild nature fraught with many dangers: natural disasters, diseases and enemies (hedgehogs, caimans, predator birds, wild pigs, mongooses and more). Reserves and parks, where reptiles are monitored and cared for, providing food and medical services, creating a suitable climate and protecting them from natural enemies, are another matter.

Reptiles do well in private terrariums if their owners know how to handle snakes.

Why snakes don't live very long

There are a number of demonstrative studies conducted, however, in the 70s of the last century, which recorded an extremely short life expectancy of snakes in the best nurseries. the globe.

Thus, in the butantan nursery (Sao Paulo), rattlesnakes lived only 3 months, and in the serpentarium of the Philippine Islands (related to the laboratory of sera and vaccines) - less than 5 months. Moreover, individuals from the control group lived for 149 days, from whom the poison was not taken at all.

In total, 2075 cobras were involved in the experiments, and in other groups (with different frequency of poison selection), the statistics were different:

in the first, where the poison was taken once a week - 48 days;
in the second, where they took it once every two weeks - 70 days;
in the third, where they took every three weeks - 89 days.

The author of a foreign study (like Talyzin) was sure that the cobras died due to the stress caused by the action electric current. But over time, it became clear that the snakes in the Philippine Serpentarium were dying not so much from fear, but from hunger and disease.

It is interesting! Until the mid-70s, foreign nurseries did not particularly care for the experimental subjects, and were created not for their maintenance, but for the extraction of poison. Serpentariums were more like accumulators: there were a lot of snakes in tropical latitudes, and poison poured in a stream in laboratories.

Only in 1963 in Butantan (the oldest serpentarium in the world) did artificial climate rooms for poisonous snakes appear.

Domestic scientists collected data on the life expectancy in captivity of gyurza, muzzle and efa (for the period 1961-1966). Practice has shown that the less often the poison was taken, the longer the snakes lived..

It turned out that captivity was poorly tolerated by small vipers (up to 500 mm) and large ones (more than 1400 mm). On average, vipers in captivity lived 8.8 months, and snakes 1100-1400 mm in size demonstrated the maximum life span, which was explained large reserves fat when they enter the nursery.

Important! The scientists came to the conclusion that the life span of a snake in a nursery is determined by the conditions of keeping, sex, size and degree of fatness of the reptile.

Sand efa. Average duration their life in the serpentarium was equal to 6.5 months, and a little more than 10% of reptiles lived up to a year. Efas 40-60 cm long, as well as females, lingered the longest in the world.

Many are tired of familiar pets and want to keep something exotic, for example, a snake. But before you get such a pet, you need to learn everything possible about him and decide whether you are ready for his presence in your home. How many snakes live and how to keep them at home will be discussed in the article.

Description

Snakes are the only legless reptiles. They are predators, they swallow the prey whole, and the teeth are needed to fix it and push it into the esophagus, as well as to inject poison.

They hunt at any time of the day - in this they are helped by the constantly moving tongue and Jacobson's organ (pits that transmit information to the palate and perform chemical analysis). The sight of these reptiles is weak, and hearing is completely absent.

How many years live

There is an established opinion that these reptiles live for a very long time - from 50 to 100 years. But the oldest (officially registered) is the scaly boa constrictor Popeye, who lived for forty-three years. Another of his long-lived relatives was the reticulated python, who lived to be 32 years old. We are talking only about animals kept in captivity, since in nature it is quite difficult to track the age of these reptiles.
According to herpetologists, there is a direct dependence of life expectancy on the size of the animal:

large reptiles (such as pythons) can live 25–30 years;
smaller animals, such as snakes, are about 10–15 years old.

All of the above information indicates that the longevity of snakes is greatly exaggerated. According to some reports, reptiles up to 100 years old are found in the rivers of the Amazon, but these facts have not been verified.

On average, in nature, snakes live from 30 to 40 years, depending on the species, but here they have a lot of enemies, so they can die much earlier. Among those who want to eat these reptiles are mongooses, hedgehogs, caimans and other animals.

Did you know? A spitting cobra strikes its prey with a spit of venom. It can hit the target from a distance of up to 3 meters, and aims mainly at the eyes.

Keeping in captivity prolongs the life of these reptiles, since in this case they, most often, create the most comfortable conditions: favorable climate, good food, care and lack of enemies. But there are factors that shorten the life of a snake in captivity.

The conducted studies of gyurz showed that small (up to 0.5 m) and large (longer than 1.5 m) reptiles lived the least - up to 9 months. Medium gyurzes (1.1–1.4 m) lived longer.

As a result of research, scientists came to the conclusion that the duration of the existence of snakes in captivity depended on the conditions of detention, the size and fatness of the animal, as well as on the amount of poison taken.

Can snakes live without a head

It may seem strange, but a severed snake head is still dangerous for some time. Not only does it stay alive, but it can also bite.
This is due to the presence of temperature-sensitive dimples on the sides of the head, which are used to warn of danger. These pits function for several more hours, even if the head is already separated from the body. In turn, the body also continues to squirm.

Did you know? Neurologist David Ferrer, researcher nervous system frogs, found that this decapitated creature behaves in much the same way as with a head. The torn-out turtle's heart beats for some more time. This is due to the presence of many animals in the heart of their own pacemaker cells.

Features of keeping at home

AT recent times It has become fashionable to keep snakes at home. And, as we have already said, this benefits the reptiles, but subject to all the rules of care.

How do snakes live in captivity?

If you do not have experience keeping snakes, then it is better to start with the easiest to care for and not as aggressive pets as the American snake, or.
Snakes do not understand as well as other pets that you love them and want the best for them, so they can run away or show aggression at any opportunity if they don’t like something. There are also some features that the reptile owner needs to know about:

they spend most of their time in hiding and are not particularly inclined to communicate;
an unpleasant surprise may be that snakes eat live food and only over time they can be trained to eat dead prey;
the snake does not know how to meow or bark, thereby showing its displeasure or joy, so you will have to learn to understand it by its behavior. So, for example, before molting, it becomes slow and apathetic. If her skin has become dull and colorless, then the reptile will soon shed. No need to disturb her at this time;
almost all snakes are predators, few can be tamed. They are dangerous, they can bite at any moment - this should not be forgotten.

Terrarium

Having decided on the type of pet, you need to worry about creating favorable conditions for him.
First of all, you need a terrarium, which must meet the following requirements:

a medium-sized reptile will be satisfied with a dwelling with dimensions of 90 × 60 × 60 cm, as it grows, the dimensions will need to be increased;
habitats are important for snakes different temperatures(warm and cooler). Better if warm zone will be at the top. You can make a platform with a lamp above it so that the reptile warms up there. And below (at the bottom of the terrarium) is a cold zone. For tropical animals, a temperature of 28–35 ° C will be comfortable, for residents subtropical latitudes- 24–30 °С. At night, it is desirable to reduce the temperature by about 5 degrees;
fluorescent lamps are suitable as lighting; small holes in the walls and ceiling are sufficient for ventilation;
humidity is maintained at 80% by spraying;
a small body of water is required in the dwelling, as well as various shelters (branches, snags, jugs or plants);
the floor is covered with moss, wood chips or coconut fiber.

Important! It must be remembered that these are creatures representing a serious danger, therefore, having decided to acquire such an exotic animal, it is better to consult a specialist and purchase a non-poisonous reptile.

What to feed

Snakes eat live food. The amount of food depends on the age of the reptile, its health and the season. She swallows food whole, so digestion takes 5-15 days. For this reason, overfeeding the animal is not worth it. Suitable for snake food:

rats and mice;
frogs;
birds;
snails;
pieces of fish;
many people like eggs (chicken or quail).

Young animals eat once every 3 days, adults - once a week. Evidence that the dwelling is cold will be regurgitation of undigested food - you need to raise the temperature. During molting, snakes do not eat.

Important! When choosing food, you need to focus on the size of the pet's head so as not to cause too much stress. big size victims. A hungry animal can let its owner know about the need to eat with its fussy behavior and loud clicking of the tongue.

In winter, reptiles often hibernate and can remain in this state for 2 to 3 months. During this period, you need to reduce the temperature and brightness of the lighting in the terrarium.

Precautions

Having a snake at home as a pet, even if it is not poisonous, you need to follow these rules:

tightly close the terrarium, as even the tiniest opening can be used by a reptile to escape. It will be very difficult to find and catch her after that. And even if she doesn’t bite anyone, she can scare a lot;
you can not take the animal in your arms for several days after it has eaten;
pick up your pet carefully and without sudden movements. One hand must be held upper part, and the second - for the bottom. If the reptile shows anxiety, then it is better to put it back in the terrarium;
it is forbidden to disturb the snake during molting;
do not bring to the face or other pets.

When keeping poisonous pets, the following rules must be added to the above rules:

the room must be completely isolated, without any openings;
working tools and bite serum should be in close proximity to the terrarium;
in the presence of great variety snakes, all terrariums need to be marked with special plates with the names of the species;
when bitten, it is impossible to tear off the animal by force, so as not to cause an increase in aggression - you need to wait until the snake releases itself.

Snakes are unusual creatures, and if your choice fell on them, create comfortable conditions for your pet and show maximum care so that it pleases you for many years. We hope that the information provided in the article will help you in proper care behind these animals.

snake breeding

With the onset of the breeding season, snakes are actively looking for a sexual partner. At the same time, excited males use a chemical analyzer, “sniffing” the air with their tongue and transferring them with negligible amounts chemical substances left in the environment by the female, to the paired Jacobson's organ in the palate. Courtship helps recognize partners: each species uses its own specific movement patterns. In some species, they are so complex that they resemble a dance, although in many cases the males simply rub their chin against the back of the female.

Eventually the partners intertwine their tails and the male's hemipenis is introduced into the female's cloaca. The copulatory organ of snakes is paired and consists of two so-called. hemipenis, which protrude from the cloaca when excited. The female has the ability to store live sperm, so after a single mating she can produce offspring several times.

Cubs are born different ways. As a rule, they hatch from eggs, but many species of snakes are viviparous. If the incubation period is very short, delaying egg laying can cause the young to hatch inside the mother's body. This is called ovoviviparity. However, in some species, a simple placenta is formed, through which oxygen, water and nutrients are transferred from the mother to the embryo.

Most snake nests are extremely simple, but still eggs are not laid anywhere. The female is looking for a suitable place such as a pile of rotting organic material that would protect them from drying out, flooding, drastic changes temperature and predators. When the eggs are protected by their parents, they not only scare away predators, but, having been in the sun, they can warm the masonry with their bodies, which, when elevated temperature develops faster. A certain amount of heat is also released when the nest material rots.

The number of eggs or young produced by a female at a time ranges from a few to about 100 (in oviparous species, on average, more than in viviparous ones). Large pythons are especially prolific, sometimes laying more than 100 eggs. Their average number in a clutch of snakes is probably no more than 10–12. It is not easy to determine the gestation period in these reptiles, since females can retain live sperm for years, and the duration of embryo development depends on temperature. different types breeding also complicate the task. However, it is believed that some rattlesnakes pregnancy lasts approx. 5 months, while in the common viper ( Vipera berus) for just over two months. Duration incubation period varies even more.

life span of snakes

The vast majority of snakes reach sexual maturity in their second, third or fourth year of life. The growth rate reaches a maximum by the time of full puberty, after which it decreases markedly, although snakes grow all their lives. The maximum age of most snakes is probably ca. 20 years, although some individuals lived to almost 30.

In nature, snakes, like many other animals, rarely reach old age. Many die quite young due to adverse conditions environment usually become prey to predators.

Poisonous snakes from the viper family have perfectly adapted to existence in any climatic conditions and landscapes. Vipers live in Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa, North and South America. Vipers do not live only in Australia, New Zealand and other islands of Oceania.

Basically, vipers lead sedentary life, occasionally making forced migrations to winter habitats, which make up several kilometers along the way. Vipers spend most of the summer basking in the sun or hiding in the heat under stones, uprooted tree roots and in rock crevices.

Where and how do viper snakes hibernate?

Wintering of vipers begins in October-November. For winter “apartments”, various burrows are selected that go into the ground to a depth of 2 m, where the positive air temperature is maintained. With a high population density, several hundred individuals often accumulate in one hole. The duration of wintering depends on the range: northern views vipers hibernate up to 9 months a year, the inhabitants temperate latitudes they come to the surface in March-April and immediately start breeding.

Viper venom - snake bite consequences and symptoms

Viper venom is considered potentially dangerous to humans, and the bite of some members of the viper family can be fatal and lead to lethal outcome.

However, viper venom has found its use, because it is a valuable raw material for making medical preparations and even cosmetics. The poison is a cocktail of proteins, lipids, peptides, amino acids, sugar and salt of inorganic origin. Preparations derived from viper venom are used as an analgesic for neuralgia and rheumatism, for hypertension and skin diseases, to relieve asthma attacks, for inflammatory processes and bleeding.

Viper venom enters the human or animal body through the lymph nodes and instantly enters the bloodstream. The consequences of a viper bite are manifested by burning pain, redness and swelling form around the wound, which disappear after 2-3 days without any serious consequences. In case of severe intoxication of the body, 15-20 minutes after the bite of a viper, the following symptoms appear: the bitten one feels dizzy, nausea, chills, heart palpitations. At elevated concentration toxic substances fainting, convulsions and coma occur.

Viper bite - first aid

What to do if bitten by a viper:

First of all, immediately after a viper bite, be sure to provide the bitten organ (usually limbs) with peace by fixing it with a kind of splint or, for example, simply tying your hand in a bent position with a handkerchief. Limit any active movements to avoid the rapid spread of viper venom throughout the body.
A viper's bite is dangerous and can be fatal to humans, so in any case, regardless of the severity of the victim's condition, you should call an ambulance!
Pressing with your fingers at the bite site, try to slightly open the wound and suck out the poison. You can do this with your mouth, periodically spitting saliva, but the method is valid only if there are no damages on the oral mucosa in the form of cracks, scratches or sores. You can try to reduce the concentration of poison in the wound with an ordinary glass cup, using it according to the principle of setting medical jars. Suction of the poison is carried out continuously, for 15-20 minutes.
Then the viper bite site should be disinfected with any improvised means: cologne, vodka, alcohol, iodine, and apply a clean, slightly pressure bandage.
If possible, it is advisable to take an antihistamine tablet to reduce allergic reaction for viper venom.
Take as much liquid as possible - weak tea, water, but give up coffee: this drink increases arterial pressure and increases excitability.
In case of a serious lesion, artificial respiration and prolonged heart massage are performed as first aid after a viper bite.

Sometimes vipers are confused with representatives of the already-shaped family - snakes and copperheads, which often leads to the killing of innocent animals. A poisonous snake can be distinguished from a harmless one by a number of signs.

How is it different from a viper? Similarities and differences between snakes

Well - it's not poisonous snake The viper is poisonous and deadly to humans. The similarity between the snake and the viper is obvious: both snakes can have a similar color and meet a person in a forest, in a meadow, or near a pond. And yet these reptiles have certain signs by which they can be distinguished:

The appearance of the snake and the black viper is different, despite the same skin color. At common grass snake there are 2 yellow or orange spots on the head, similar to miniature ears, and the viper does not have such marks.

It is not worth focusing solely on the color of snakes, since both snakes and vipers can be similar in color. For example, the color of a water snake can be olive, brown or black, with various spots. In addition, the black water snake does not have yellow markings on its head, which can easily be confused with a viper. The color of the viper can also be olive, black or brown, with a variety of spots scattered over the body.

And yet, if you look closely at the spots, you can see next difference snakes: snakes have spots on the body in a checkerboard pattern, many species of vipers have a zigzag stripe on the back that runs along the entire body, and there are also spots on the sides of the body.

Another difference between the snake and the viper is that the pupil of the viper is vertical, in snakes it is round.

In the mouth of a viper are sharp teeth, which are clearly visible when the snake opens its mouth. The snakes have no teeth.

Longer than a viper. The body length of the snake is usually 1-1.3 meters. The length of the viper usually varies between 60-75 cm, although there are species that reach 3-4 meters (bushmaster). In addition, vipers look much more well-fed.
The tail of the viper is shortened and thick, while that of snakes is thinner and longer. In addition, in vipers, the transition from the body to the tail is clearly pronounced.
Vipers differ from snakes in the triangular shape of the skull with clearly marked superciliary ridges, in snakes the skull is oval-ovoid.

The anal shield of the viper is one-piece, while that of the snake consists of 2 scales.
When meeting people, the snakes try to retreat and hide, the viper is likely to show complete indifference or aggression if you step on this poisonous snake or just touch it.
Snakes love damp habitats, so they can often be found near bodies of water where they swim and catch frogs. Vipers feed mainly, so they choose other habitats: forests, steppes, thick grass.

The viper is a venomous snake, the copperhead is not poisonous.
Many vipers have a dark-colored zigzag stripe running along their backs, while copperheads have a "scattered" pattern of specks or dark spots on their backs. But there are also black vipers that do not have stripes.

The viper's head has triangular shape with pronounced arches above the eyes. Copperheads have a narrow, elongated head.
In the mouth of the viper there are teeth with which the snake bites its prey. Copperheads have no teeth.
The pupil of the copperfish is round, while that of the viper is vertically slit-shaped.

The anal shield of the copperfish consists of a pair of scales, but in the viper it is solid.
Noticing a person, the copperhead will hasten to hide in a shelter, the viper will either not pay attention to the person, or will start an offensive.

There are teeth in the mouth of a viper and a snake, but at the same time, the bite of a poisonous viper is dangerous and can be fatal, and the bite of a snake, although it causes pain, does not carry mortal danger, since the snake does not have venom glands.
In the viper, the head and body are separated by a shortened bridge imitating the neck; in the snake, there is no cervical interception.
The back of most vipers is either plain, black, or has a dark stripe running in a zigzag along the entire back. The color of the snake can be monophonic, with transverse dark spots on the back or in a mesh.

The snake has a distinctive pattern on the top of the skull - a dark stripe between the eyes, the viper does not have such decoration.
The viper is much shorter and looks fatter than the snake. The snakes can grow up to 1.5 meters in length, and the standard size of vipers is 60-70 cm. Only the largest vipers have a body length of up to 2 meters.

Types of vipers - photo and description

The modern classification distinguishes 4 subfamilies of vipers:

pit viper, they are also rattlesnakes or rattlesnakes (Crotalinae): they are distinguished by the presence of 2 infrared pits, which are located in the depression between the eyes and nostrils;
toad vipers(Causinae): belong to the oviparous type of snakes, which is rare among all members of the family;
vipers(Viperinae) - the most numerous subfamily, whose representatives live even in the conditions of the Arctic (common viper);
azemiopinae- the subfamily represented single genus and view - Burmese fairy viper.

To date, 292 species of vipers are known to science. Below are several varieties of these snakes:

common viper ( Vipera berus)

a relatively small representative of the family: the body length is usually in the range of 60-70 cm, however, in the northern part of the range there are individuals over 90 cm long. The weight of the viper varies from 50 to 180 grams, with females slightly larger than males. The head is large, slightly flattened, the muzzle is rounded. The color is quite variable and multifaceted: the color of the main background of the back is black, light gray, yellow-brown, reddish-brown, bright copper. Most specimens have a pronounced pattern in the form of a zigzag strip along the back. The belly of the viper is gray, brown-gray or black, sometimes supplemented with whitish spots. The tip of the tail is often colored bright yellow, reddish or orange. This type of viper has a fairly wide habitat. The common viper lives in the forest belt of Eurasia - it is found from the territories of Great Britain and France to western regions Italy and East Korea. Feels cozy in hot Greece, Turkey and Albania, penetrating at the same time beyond the Arctic Circle - found in Lapland and in countries on the coast Barents Sea. On the territory of Russia, the common viper lives in Siberia, Transbaikalia and the Far East.

nosed viper(Vipera ammodytes)

differs from other species by a soft, sharp, scaly outgrowth at the tip of the snout, resembling snub nose. The length of the viper is 60-70 cm (sometimes 90 cm). The color of the body is gray, sand or red-brown (depending on the species), a zigzag dark stripe or a series of diamond-shaped stripes runs along the back. The nosed viper lives on rocky landscapes from Italy, Serbia and Croatia to Turkey, Syria and Georgia.

Steppe viper (western steppe viper) ( Vipera ursinii )

poisonous snake that lives in the plains and mountain steppes, in alpine meadows, in ravines and semi-deserts. steppe vipers are found in the countries of southern and southeastern Europe (in France, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Albania), in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia (in the Caucasus, in the southern part of Siberia, Rostov region, Altai). The length of the viper with a tail reaches 64 cm, females are larger than males. The color of the snake is brown-gray, a dark brown or black zigzag stripe runs along the ridge. Dark spots are scattered on the sides of the body.

Horned keffiyeh(Trimeresurus cornutus, Protobothrops cornutus)

stands out among relatives with small horns located above the eyes. The body of a viper up to 60-80 cm long is painted in a cream-green color and dotted with dark brown spots. The snake spends almost all its life on trees and shrubs, descending to the ground only for mating. The horned keffiyeh is a typical inhabitant of the south and southeast of Asia, lives in China, India and Indonesia.

Burmese Fairy Viper, or Chinese viper(Azemiops feae)

an oviparous species, a rarity among vipers. Got my name not thanks to fairy tale character, and in honor of the zoologist Leonardo Fea. The length of the viper is about 80 cm. On the head of the snake grow large shields, like those of snakes. Upper body greenish-brown, creamy underparts, head most often yellow color, yellow stripes run along the sides. It is found in Central Asia in the southeast of Tibet, in Burma, China and Vietnam.

Noisy viper(Bitis arietans)

one of the most beautiful and most dangerous species African vipers. The bite of a noisy viper in 4 out of 5 cases is fatal. The snake got its name from the indignant hissing emitted in case of danger. The body of the viper is disproportionately thick with a girth of up to 40 cm and a length of about 2 m. The color of the viper can be golden yellow, dark beige or red-brown. Along the body there is a pattern consisting of 2 dozen brown marks in the form latin letter U. Noisy viper lives throughout Africa (with the exception of the equator), as well as in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

(Bitis nasicornis)

it is distinguished by a special decoration on the muzzle, consisting of 2-3 vertically protruding scales. The body is thick, can reach a length of 1.2 m, and is covered beautiful pattern. Blue trapezoid patterns with a yellow border, connected by black diamonds, run along the back. The sides are covered with black triangles, alternating with olive-colored rhombuses with a red border. The head of a viper with bright blue “cheeks” is covered with black arrows with a yellow border. Prefers to settle in the wet, swampy forests of Equatorial Africa.

Kaisaka, or labaria (Bothrops atrox)

the most large viper from the genus spearheads, growing up to 2.5 m in length. Distinctive feature Kaisaki is a lemon-yellow color of the chin, which is why the snake was nicknamed “yellow beard”. The slender body is covered with gray or brown skin with a diamond-shaped pattern on the back. Kaisaka lives throughout the territory Central America, in Argentina and the offshore islands of South America.

Rhombic rattlesnake(Crotalus adamanteus)

record holder among rattlesnakes in terms of the number of "milks" of poison (660 mg from one snake). A large viper can grow over 2 m in length and weigh over 15 kg. Along the back, painted in brown tones, runs a series of 24-35 black diamonds with a brilliant sheen with a light yellow border. This viper lives only in the USA: from Florida to New Orleans.

Gyurza, or levant viper(Macrovipera lebetina)

most dangerous and poisonous viper, the poison of which is inferior in toxicity only to poison. Belongs to the egg-laying type of snakes. The length of the body of an adult gyurza can reach 2 meters, the weight of the viper is 3 kg. The body coloration is gray-brown, with dark spots, subject to variability within the range. Some individuals are distinguished by a black body with a purple tint. The viper is widespread in dry foothill areas, as well as on the outskirts major cities Northwest Africa, Asia, Transcaucasia, Dagestan and Kazakhstan.

African pygmy viper ( Bitis peringueyi)

smallest viper in the world, body length adult does not exceed 20-25 cm. Due to its modest body size, it is a relatively safe type of viper that lives in the deserts of Namibia and Angola.

bushmaster or surukuku ( Lachesis muta)

the biggest viper in the world, rare view, reaching a length of 3-4 meters with a body weight of 3 to 5 kg. Inhabits wet rainforests South and Central America.

Below we will answer the question of how many years a snake lives both in the wild and in captivity (zoos, terrariums). What is the duration of her life - both the maximum and the average, on what factors does it depend, and even whether a snake can be an enemy to a person. You will read about all this in this article.

snakes. Who is this and where do they live?

Representatives of the Reptile class - snakes - are found throughout the planet, except that they are not in the air. They mastered the lands from the Arctic Circle to the very southern regions American mainland. They live in a variety of ecosystems - steppe, forest, desert, mountain. True, most snakes still prefer the tropics (Asian, African, American, Australian). There are snakes that are characteristic only for a particular range. But there are also real cosmopolitans. For example, one of the most common snakes in the world - the viper - has mastered all continents.

You will not find snakes in Greenland, Iceland and Ireland - that is, areas close to high latitudes.

However, one should not think that the snakes are divorced in excess. Like most of animals under pressure economic activity of man and his irrepressible thirst for the development of new lands, some species of snakes are now considered endangered - there are 30 species in the International Red Book, and 15 in the Russian. Among the Red Book domestic snakes are such species as the nosed viper and the Central Asian cobra.

Lifespan of a snake in the wild

AT wild environment the study of the life of snakes, including its duration, is quite difficult task. It requires a lot of time, special conditions, professionalism of scientists. It's easier to do it in captivity, of course. But researchers still have some data. For example, how many years does one of the most common snakes live? The answer is known: the maximum duration of her life in the wild is 12-15 years.

For a wild individual, this is a lot, since there are many factors that reduce the life span of these reptiles. Firstly, snakes live in a limited space, moving no more than a hundred meters. Secondly, snakes have natural enemies. These are birds that feed on snakes (storks, owls, most representatives of hawks, in particular serpent eagles, etc.), as well as animals - ferrets, badgers, foxes and even hedgehogs. Well, many individuals are weeded out, while still being cubs, for example, from diseases.

In general, serpentologists say that the size of a snake's body is directly related to its lifespan. So, snakes, like small snakes, live for 10-15 years. But pythons already live up to 30 years, and according to some sources, even up to half a century.

Allegedly in tropical jungle there were giant Latin American boas that lived for 120 years. True, it is not possible to clarify how reliable this information is. It is possible that this is speculation.

How long does a snake live in captivity?

It is generally accepted that in captivity proper care some types of snakes can live half a century. Indeed, not so long ago, a dark python ended its days in the Moscow Zoo. He lived for about 50 years and reached a length of more than 5 meters. The same amount can live in a terrarium and royal python. But it is believed that these are long-lived champions among snakes kept in captivity.

In addition, these data have not been officially registered. And here is the public data on various types snake. They are quite old, but they are definitely not rumors.

So, the record for longevity among snakes belongs to a boa constrictor named Popeye. He died at the Philadelphia Zoo in 1977 and lived to be just over 40 years old.

How long does an anaconda snake live? One of the anacondas at the Washington Zoo is known to have lived for 28 years.

The average duration of a snake's life is from 10 to a maximum period of 20 years. About how many years he lives can also be found from quite reliable sources. These largest poisonous snakes lived in captivity for more than 30 years, and grew throughout their lives, as a result, the body length of individual specimens was more than 5 and a half meters.

Other species of cobras in captivity live from 12 to 15 years, the American chicken beetle can live 18.

And of course, you need to understand that we are talking about keeping an animal in captivity, and captivity implies comfortable conditions for the specimen, a full diet, the absence of enemies, the ability to lead an existence characteristic of this species and veterinary care. As a rule, all this is possible in the zoo.

But these days, there are more and more hobbyists who keep snakes at home. But with improper care, the snake (for example, the snake, which is recommended for keeping beginners) will not last even a couple of months. And with the right one, it will last up to two decades and, perhaps, will please the novice serpentologist with its offspring.

Conclusion

Among all the extraordinary species of animals on the planet, snakes are the most peculiar. By their very appearance near a person, they often cause a panic or even a slight attack of paranoia in the latter. This horror can strike him so much that he who encounters a snake will not even be able to determine whether the snake is poisonous or harmless.

Meanwhile, it is believed that snakes cannot experience aggression towards humans and attack only in defense. Indeed, all snakes are predators, and lizards, small rodents, frogs, birds, fish, and snails are prey for them in the wild. It is worth noting that most snakes are so whimsical that they prefer food of one species throughout their lives.

At the same time, known precautions when handling snakes will not hurt. Because after all, any snake is dangerous, all snakes have teeth, and they all know how to use them, regardless of whether they are poisonous or not. There are no snakes as tame as our beloved cats, dogs, hamsters. The snake is a serious predator, and it perceives a person as a warm tree at best (because all snakes are sensitive to the heat that radiates from the body). At worst, the snake will feel a threat in you, and its reaction in this case will be lightning fast.