coluber_jugularis

The large Whip Snake is one of the most common snakes in Cyprus as well as on Golan Hights. Although on Golan Hights the Montpelliers Snake is dominating.

Identification:
It's length usually reaches up to approx. 200cm after 4-5 years. Although much larger specimens are reported (300 cm and more), the biggest I saw was nearly 240cm (from approx. 50 adult specimens caught). But reported length of specimens as wide as a 2-way tarmac road are definately exaggerated.
In both areas the adult snake is completely black with more or less blueish iridescence except of a creme-coloured throat with a red touch on specimens from Cyprus and a smaller greyish-white lightened area on the throat on specimens from Golan Hights.
Juvenile specimens are greyish brown, patterned with darker crowns intersected by small white-blueish spots which form more ore less diagonal stripes, especially in the front part. The belly of juvenile specimens is greyish-blue to white or creme coloured with regular dark round spots in the size of pin-heads. The appearence of young specimens is quite variable and they easily can be confused with the Balkan Whip Snake. Some females in Cyprus keep their juvenile appearence also as an adult, but more or less loose the

typical patterns of young specimens with the age.
I never could observe this on females from the Golan Hights.

Biology:
This egg-laying snake is day-active and prefers open terrain with some shrubs and stone-piles, and gardens, but it can occur also in forests. It is mainly feeding on other reptiles, such as lizards and snakes (also vipers!) and small mammals. Occasionally it goes also in trees / stables to rob nests.

Distribution:
From S-Bulgaria over Greece/Turkey, Cyprus, Middle East to Iraq.

non-venomous, but usually aggresive when caught or disturbed.

Up:
An adult specimen approx. 4 years old from Golan Hights. Photo: Friml & Preiss 1997

Left:
A juvenile specimen also from Golan Hights. I found it in the bathroom, after my comrades told me that there would be a Palestine Viper ... this poor only a few months old specimen obviously lost it's way, because it died from hunger and stress shortly after I caught it. Photo: Preiss 2001