A fourth snake species may appear in Belarus due to climate change
Their length reaches two meters.
Currently, there are three species of snakes in Belarus: grass snakes, smooth snakes, and vipers. However, a fourth species may appear due to climate change. This is the Aesculapian snake (Poloz), as stated by Fyodor Sautkin, associate professor of the Department of Zoology at the Biological Faculty of BSU, on ONT.
The Aesculapian snake grows up to two meters long. It usually lives in forests and near rocky slopes. In addition, Aesculapian snakes are often kept as pets. Aesculapian snakes are not venomous. They kill their prey by constricting it, like boas. They do not pose a mortal threat to humans, although a large individual can deliver a painful bite if provoked.