Black snake killing viper (pic Paphos Press)

[cyprusmax47]

A rare photo in todays Paphos Press, showing a black snake is killing a Cyprus Levant viper (blunt-nosed viper), the only snake in Cyprus able to kill humans with it's poison.
So if you see a black snake in your garden try to keep it there and regard it as a guardian, as it kills also rodents....

Here the photo thanks to one internet user in Cyprus




Max

[Devil]

Wow!

[bmwx5]

Watched a video of a Black whip snake killing and eating a BNV at Elea GC last summer

[cyprusmax47]

Watched a video of a Black whip snake killing and eating a BNV at Elea GC last summer

Can you confirm that the whip snake strangled the BNV to death before eating it? To my knowledge this is the way they do it as the have no poison to kill...

Max

[bmwx5]

From the video the whip snake wrapped itself around the BNV till almost dead then started to eat it slowly stretching the BNVs tail to straighten the body making it easier to devour

[STELIOSBWFC]

Is that a whip snake.

[cyprusmax47]

Is that a whip snake.

Definitely a Cyprus Whip Snake, Stelios.

As it is also mentioned in the article from PaphosPress, Cypriots call the snake also «περβολάρης» ("pervolaris"). Greek: pervoli=garden.
There is a nice article in the net from Nikos Tamasios, explaining that name:

"However, the most characteristic name of this non-venomous snake is “pervolaris”, meaning agriculture gardener. The snake gained this name because of its cooperation with fruit and vegetable gardeners. As soon as they spot it in their area they provide it with food and water in order to keep it there. The snake in return provides health and safety services by eating rats and killing other venomous snakes.

So, when you spot one please don’t kill it. Admire it from a safe distance without bothering it. When it gets angry it has the reputation of whipping really hard with its muscular tale."

Max