Day 32 of posting cute creatures we found on our field trip:
Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) is a small colubrid snake that lives all around continental Europe. Its name “Coronella” means “little crown” and refers to a crown-like marking on its head:
This snake is a viper mimic: its coloration matches that of European adder very closely and its defense mechanism is hissing, puffing up its cheeks to look more viper-like and bluff striking. This is a great defense against most predators, but people often kill these snakes because they think that they are dangerous. But they are most certainly not.
Overall, they are very chill and friendly once they calm down. Their tiny teeth can do no damage even if you get bitten. They feed on small mammals, lizards and insects. And juveniles are this tiny:
