Discover the Viper: A Peaceful Forest Reptile Up Close – Encounter with a Protected Species

Exploring the Enigmatic Viper: A Protected Species

As part of our Naturalist’s Walk series, we embarked on an exploration to discover a unique species or habitat, guided by experts passionate about their field.

Setting the Scene

In Île-de-France, a sign at the edge of the woods cautions hikers: “Beware of vipers.” The hiking path winds through the trees, but we veer off onto a trail that skirts the edge of a wheat field. This boundary between the woods and the open field offers a better chance to spot snakes, which find shelter in the vegetation and bask in the sunlit open areas.

Leading the way, herpetologist Françoise Serre Collet meticulously scans the ground ahead. “Never cast your shadow forward,” she advises, explaining that it’s a common mistake that makes snakes detect and flee from us. The moderate June sun is ideal, she notes, as snakes are particular about the weather, avoiding both the cold and extreme heat.

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Serre Collet clarifies that the term “cold-blooded” is a misnomer. Snakes are ectotherms, relying on external heat sources because they do not generate their own body heat. They bask in the sun to warm up but seek shade when it’s too hot, exhibiting variable body temperatures.

She recalls her first encounter with a snake at ten years old—a swimming grass snake that both terrified and fascinated her due to the dangerous reputation snakes have.

Years later, Serre Collet, a former scientific mediator at the National Museum of Natural History and now retired, continues to share her knowledge and passion through her writings and photographs. She laments the fear and hatred directed towards snakes, fueled by myths and their legless form which she believes prompts either flight or violent reactions.

Understanding Local Snake Species

In mainland France, there are 14 snake species, including 10 types of non-venomous grass snakes and 4 venomous vipers. Serre Collet describes the distinguishing features of vipers, such as vertical pupils and specific scale patterns, cautioning that these identifiers are region-specific. A snake seen across the Mediterranean with round eyes and large head scales, for example, would be a different species entirely.

On our walk, hidden among the oaks and hawthorns, we spot an asp viper, a common species in Île-de-France along with the smooth snake and Aesculapian snake. June is the breeding season, and the thick-bodied female viper we find likely mated two months prior. Serre Collet chooses not to disturb her, explaining the energy-intensive nature of reproduction, which not all females survive annually.

We encounter other reptiles like the two-striped lizard and legless lizard, often mistaken for a snake. Serre Collet, wearing thick leather gloves, gently handles a male asp viper we come across, noting its imminent shedding phase by the blue tinge in its eyes—a sign of the lubricant it secretes to aid in shedding its old skin.

The viper, rather than attacking, attempts to flee. To calm it, Serre Collet covers it with her glove, under which the snake settles. She emphasizes that vipers are not aggressive by nature and only bite if provoked. She advises caution in nature, akin to looking both ways before crossing a street.

She also points out that a viper bite does not always result in venom injection, which is energy-intensive for the snake to produce and is primarily used for subduing prey.

Conservation Efforts and Challenges

Since 2021, all snake species, including vipers, are protected in France. It is illegal to kill or mistreat them, and special authorization is required for handling. Snakes face threats from habitat fragmentation and loss, pollution, prey scarcity, and climate change. In France, studies suggest that climate change could reduce the habitat range of the Orsini viper, exposing it to more predators.

Despite their critical role in ecosystems as both predators and prey, snakes often suffer from deliberate destruction due to fear. The SOS Serpents network educates and reassures residents who encounter snakes, promoting coexistence rather than conflict. For those wishing to support local snake populations, maintaining a natural garden corner with sun, wood, and stone piles provides shelter and helps conserve these misunderstood but vital creatures.

Serre Collet concludes by highlighting the ecological importance of snakes and the moral imperative to respect all life forms, regardless of personal feelings towards them.