Snakes in the water. snakes in clear water

Snakes near the water and in the water

Snakes of most species cannot live away from water, and, of course, people meet with them often. This is not always safe. How to behave when meeting with a snake? We asked A. Nedyalkov, who has been studying the biology of some species of snakes for more than 20 years, a former foreman of snake catchers, and now the head of the Department of Biology at the Moscow State Institute of Fine Arts, tell us about this.

There are 56 species of snakes in the post-Soviet space. Among them, 5 are not poisonous, but vicious, capable of inflicting very painful bites, and 10 are poisonous, whose bites can be life-threatening. Where do they live?

1st zone (tundra). There are supposedly no snakes here. However, in some places in the forest-tundra, reindeer herders complain that animals suffer from snake bites. Apparently, the common viper is found there, but I did not find information about this in the literature available to me, and I myself did not have to visit those places.

2nd zone. This is middle lane Russia, the northern border of which runs approximately along 61-63 ° north latitude, and the southern - along 46 degrees north latitude, the western - coincides with the state border of Russia and the eastern - with the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Here you can meet snakes of only 4 species.

The 3rd zone in the north starts from the edge of the 2nd zone, and in the south its border runs along the northern shores of the Black, Azov, Caspian and Aral seas, then it runs through the Kazakh steppe to Lake Balkhash and the Dzungarian Alatau ridge. In the west, the zone captures the Carpathians and in the east - the Central Black Earth regions, the lower Volga region, western and central Kazakhstan, up to the Tien Shan. This zone is inhabited by 17 species of snakes, including 2 species that are not poisonous, but vicious, inflicting painful bites, and 3 - poisonous.

In the 4th zone (Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, the republics of the North Caucasus, Kalmykia) there are 14 species of snakes, among which 3 species are conditionally dangerous and 3 species are also poisonous.

The 5th zone (Crimea, Caucasus, Transcaucasia), one might say, is replete with snakes. There are 24 species here, including 5 conditionally dangerous species and 6 poisonous species. In the Crimea, among the poisonous snakes, there is only the steppe viper.

In the 6th zone (the Central Asian republics and the south of Kazakhstan) there are 28 species of snakes, including 3 conditionally dangerous and 5 dangerous poisonous species.

Finally, in the 7th zone (Far East) there are 15 species of snakes, of which 3 are poisonous. , a two-colored bonito was found - a poisonous sea snake.

In this article, I will only talk in more detail about those types of conditionally dangerous and poisonous snakes that an amateur fisherman can meet, as well as about some snakes that are harmful when breeding fish in ponds.

snakes that eat fish

Already water is found in the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th zones. This is a large snake up to 160 cm long. The upper body is from gray-green in color with dark spots and transverse stripes to an almost black color.

There are no bright spots on the head, like the common grass snake. The belly is white, yellowish, pink-red, dark gray, very often motley, like a chessboard.

Excellent diving and swimming. In mountain rivers with quite cold water, hunting for fish, hides under water, between stones. Active from March to November, but in the water only from May to September.

In case of danger, it usually escapes under water, where it can stay for more than half an hour. If it is not possible to get to the water, it curls up into a ball, hisses and throws its head towards the enemy. It is not dangerous to take it with your hand, but it can be doused with a fetid liquid.

It feeds on small water fish and amphibians. In pond farms, it turns out to be a serious pest, as it willingly eats fry and yearlings of carp. Going for the winter large groups. For example, more than 200 snakes were found at one wintering near Tashkent.

And here's another interesting fact. A self-propelled barge brought reed slabs to Moscow from Astrakhan. In the South Port, loaders refused to unload these slabs, as there were a lot of snakes in them. At the invitation of the port authorities, I caught about 600 water snakes on this barge, which had gathered in reed slabs for wintering since autumn.

Water snakes usually use the same winter quarters from year to year. Sometimes they crawl away from the reservoir for the winter at a distance of up to two kilometers.

Water snakes are so greedy that sometimes they penetrate fishermen's mesh cages and swallow small fish there, after which they cannot get out of the cage: the belly swollen from the swallowed fish does not allow them to crawl through the cage cell. Often a frightened fisherman throws the cage along with the catch, believing that a gyurza got into it. This dangerous snake really looks like a water snake, but it does not eat fish. Therefore, take the net away from the shore, carefully untie the neck, get rid of the impudent thief and save your catch.

Fish also occupy a significant place in the food of dynodons - snakes living in the Far East (zone 7). However, their way of life is poorly studied, and therefore it is difficult to judge whether dynodons can cause noticeable harm to fish farming.

Do not disdain the fish and snakes - ordinary (zones 2, 3, 4 and 5) and tiger (zone 7). Swallowed fish were also found in the stomachs of the patterned (zones 4, 5, 6, and 7), big-eyed (zone 6), and red-backed (zone 7) snakes.

Of the poisonous snakes, as far as is known, only the eastern cottonmouth swallows fish. Obviously, in places of a large accumulation of these snakes, they devour a lot of fish fry. However, this is just my guess and needs to be verified.

Non-venomous but aggressive snakes

Yellow-bellied snake occurs in zones 3, 4, 5 and 6, but this species does not inhabit most of Kazakhstan, and in zone 6 it is found only in the south of Turkmenistan. This is a large snake up to one and a half meters long. Coloration of adults - from almost black to olive- gray color on the back, but the belly is always light with a yellowish tinge.

This snake can be found in the steppe, semi-desert, on the field, in the beam, on the rocky and steep banks of reservoirs, in forest belts and gardens. Yellow-bellied hunts during the day. Food - small mammals, lizards, snakes, birds. Crawls very fast. When meeting with a person (especially in spring and early summer), it often not only does not crawl away, but makes throws up to a meter in his direction. It can grab a leg or an arm. However, the yellowbelly is not venomous and the wound from its bite usually heals quickly.

The olive snake lives in the 5th zone and in the south of Turkmenistan. Adults sometimes reach a meter in length. The top of the body is olive in color with a brown, brownish, gray or greenish tinge. On the sides of the anterior part of the body there is one row of spots outlined by a dark border, sometimes this border is yellowish. When meeting a person, it usually tries to crawl away, but when pursued, it defends itself and may even attack. Bites are painful and bleed for a long time.

Multi-colored snake - a resident of the 5th and 6th zones. This is a rather long (up to a meter), but not very fat snake. The upper body is gray with a brown or yellowish tinge. Along the back - a number of dark (to black) transverse stripes. Sometimes only the head is black in snakes. I quite often found black-headed snakes on the steep banks of rivers and streams.

Bites of a multi-colored snake are rather unpleasant, especially since, clinging to a hand, it hangs on it like a bulldog. But after a bite, the hand does not swell much and the next day only traces of snake teeth remain on the skin. Of course, wounds, as in all other cases, should be disinfected with iodine, brilliant green or alcohol.

The Caucasian cat snake is found in the 4th and 5th zones. Not very large (up to 75 cm), the upper body is gray or dark gray with spots along the ridge. Belly with small speckles. The pupil is vertical. It does not avoid the proximity of a person and quite often comes across in the reed ceilings of outbuildings. It hunts in the evening and morning hours, and during the day it hides in crevices, under stones. It crawls very well on sheer stone surfaces.

Some literary sources report that the bite of a cat snake is harmless to humans. I wouldn't say that. I myself saw a man bitten by this snake. The swelling on the arm lasted for almost a week, and the pain was felt even after half a month.

The lizard snake lives in zones 3, 4, 5. It can be very large, about two meters long, and meter-long snakes are not uncommon. The body of the lizard snake is not very thick, so it gives the impression of being swift and slender. The color of the body is dark olive, brownish or grayish-brown. The pupil is round. Snakes often keep in rocky places with semi-desert vegetation, but often "stay" in gardens, vineyards and banks of irrigation canals. They feed mainly on lizards and snakes, including steppe vipers.

Usually, when meeting with a person, it hides or tries to run away, but, pressed or pursued, resists desperately. And he is not shy about using his teeth.

Poisonous snakes

The common viper is found throughout zone 2 and in zone 3 in the Carpathians. This is perhaps the most numerous and most common type of venomous snake in the USSR. The usual length is 50 cm, but some individuals reach 90 cm. The color of the general background of the body is gray, brown, red, brown and solid black. On the back (of course, except for black snakes) there is a characteristic zigzag stripe of black, brown (very rarely red) color. If the snake's head is not visible, do not rush to grab it, as black vipers are easy to confuse with an ordinary snake. It happened to me.

Vipers live in pockets most often near raised moss swamps, floodplain meadows, in pine forests and mixed forests. Vipers are active from the moment the first thawed patches appear until the first snow. Their food is mice, frogs, frog eggs, lizards.

Vipers swim very well and in warm water they swim away from the coast at a distance of up to 5 km. I have seen several times how they become the prey of predatory fish. In dry years, the bulk of vipers gather at water sources: along the banks of streams, rivers and lakes.

Quite often you can hear the stories of "eyewitnesses" how vipers crawled into tents and even into boots left unattended. I have been studying vipers since 1964 and have many times lived in a tent for long periods in the most "serpentine" places. The vipers have never crawled into the tent, let alone into the boots. Vipers have a good sense of smell, and I believe that the "flavors" of a person are well known to her and do not give pleasure. Sometimes female vipers were a dozen and a half meters from me all summer (until the birth, which takes place in August-September), and we remained peaceful neighbors.

Viper bites are painful, cause general poisoning of the body, but are not fatal. I specifically collected materials on the consequences of viper bites in the Pskov, Kalinin, Vologda, Novgorod regions and in Belarus. I was able to get acquainted with almost 10,000 case histories of those bitten, and only in two cases did death occur after the bite. And both times - because of incorrect and untimely medical care.

The place bitten by a viper usually swells quite strongly. Sometimes the victim feels sick, but after providing him with special medical care, he recovers in 10-12 days. Just do not need to pull the bitten arm or leg: this will not delay the action of the poison, but, on the contrary, will strengthen it.

The steppe viper is found in zones 3, 4, 5 and 6. The snake is small; its usual length is 35-40 cm, the largest is 55-57 cm. The general background of the body is brown-gray. On the back there is a dark zigzag or stripe, sometimes intermittent. Active from March to November. Habitats - clay and saline steppes.

In spring, while the grass is green, vipers spread across the steppe. As the grass burns out, they move to floodplains, to the banks of streams, to wet lowlands and form clusters, sometimes very large. So, in the floodplain of the Ili River (Kazakhstan), on an area of ​​​​several square kilometers, with my participation, more than 20 thousand steppe vipers were caught in one season.

Often snakes lie under rolls of hay. This should be remembered by amateur anglers in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, who go to the steppe rivers or lakes and use fresh hay for the night.

The venom of the steppe viper is considered weaker than that of the common viper. But when one of the laboratory assistants was bitten by a steppe viper after the poison was taken from the snake, the victim lost her sight for quite a long time. So you shouldn't joke with steppe vipers.

The Caucasian viper is less common; it lives only in zone 5. The usual length is 40-50 cm. The main color of the body is from straw yellow to brick red. Along the ridge there is a wide dark or black stripe, sometimes torn into separate spots. The head is often black on top. There are also completely black snakes.

It lives on forested mountain slopes and subalpine meadows. A bite for a person is considered more dangerous than an ordinary viper. Fatal cases have been reported. Fans of trout fishing in the mountain rivers of the Caucasus should remember this.

This species is rare and is listed in the Red Book not only of Russia, but also of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). At a meeting, try to bypass the snake side, if only in order not to reduce the number of these already disappearing animals.

The nosed viper also inhabits zone 5. Larger than the Caucasian, the usual length is 6-70 cm. The upper body is yellowish-brown, gray or reddish-brown in color, with a dark or black zigzag, sometimes with rhombuses or transverse spots. At the tip of the muzzle there is a soft, upwardly directed, scaly process.

It occurs on rocky slopes, in mixed and coniferous mountain forests, in bushes along the banks of water bodies.

The species is very rare, included in the Red Books.

Asia Minor viper is another inhabitant of zone 5. It is considered very rare, but in some regions of Armenia it is quite numerous. The snake is large, often about a meter long and up to 10 cm thick (body circumference) up to 10 cm. The top of the body is dark gray, black, and in spring it is dark blue. Along the ridge - one row of yellowish, orange or light brown spots. The species is alpine, lives at an altitude of 1200 to 3000 m above sea level. Inhabits glades of mountain forests and thickets of bushes near heaps of large stones and rocks. Winters in rock crevices, gathering in large groups. Appears in spring depending on the weather, but not later than the first decade of May. Quite often forms clusters on rocks near waterfalls.

The poison of the Asia Minor viper is stronger than that of the viper. When meeting with a person, he usually hides and prefers to quietly get out of his way.

Listed in the Red Books of Russia and the IUCN.

Gyurza - the famous coffin viper (as its Latin name is translated) - perhaps the most dangerous poisonous snake. It is found in zones 4, 5 and 6.

Scientists distinguish two varieties of gyurza: Central Asian and Transcaucasian. Gyurza catchers know that the Central Asian, in turn, is divided according to external features into flat and mountain forms. The Transcaucasian and plains forms are light to dark gray in color with an olive or brown tint. Along the ridge there are dark spots, on both sides there are also dark spots, but smaller. In snakes living in the Turkestan, Zeravshan, Nurata ranges and in the Pamirs, the general background of the color of the body is from steel to blue, and the spots are rusty-red. Among the mountain gurzes, there are also completely black ones. Plain gyurzes are much larger than mountain ones. Their average length is 120-130 cm, but there are also snakes more than two meters long and as thick as the arm of an adult man. The average length of mountain gyurz is 70 cm, and the largest is 160.

Like all vipers, vipers live in foci, but in the mountains the foci are much denser than on the plains. Usually in the spring they crawl to the places of summer hunting, and in the fall they go back to wintering, although they do not hibernate and on warm sunny days they crawl out to bask in the sun. At the end of May, the mating period begins for the gyurz, during which several males gather near one female. These snakes protect the female and can be the first to attack anyone who approaches her.

Before the onset of heat, the vipers are active during the day, and then they switch to a nocturnal lifestyle. On the plain, gyurzes keep near colonies of rodents, pink starlings and burrowing birds (bee-eaters, swallows, etc.), along the edge of tugai, in the valleys of desert rivers. They love to swim, especially in warm, sun-warmed water. Mountain gyurzes usually hunt near water sources, while they lie in crevices near springs, in thickets of mint, reeds and thorny bushes - chingil. During the day they hide in temporary shelters: under stones, in old burrows, in crevices of rocks. Very often they live in the ruins of old buildings. In the heat, vipers crawl to the water to get drunk. I have caught these snakes many times, swollen with water like bottles.

Gyurzes are generally cowardly, but in spring and early summer, males are aggressive and attack unexpectedly. Fans of catching marinka in mountain rivers in the Pamirs, Zeravshan and Turkestan ranges need to know about this feature of gyurz. On the islands of the Syrdarya and Amudarya rivers, in their upper reaches, there are also gyurzes, and they are no less dangerous than their tribesmen in the mountains. When hunting birds, mountain vipers climb tree branches and bushes, often growing above the water. Disturbed, they rush straight from the branches into the water and swim away to the shelter.

Efa sandy lives in zone 6. The average length is about 50 cm. It is colored variegatedly and beautifully: on a light brown or sandy background, whitish or yellow lines stretch in a zigzag pattern on the sides of the body. On the back, closer to the middle, symmetrically to the zigzags on the sides - the same whitish or yellow spots. An almost regular white or yellow cross stands out sharply on the head. Oddly enough, such a motley coloration is patronizing: for an inexperienced eye, an efa lying motionless often remains invisible. This should be remembered by an amateur fisherman on the banks of the Surkhandarya, Kizyl-Su and other rivers in the Surkhandarya region, in Turkmenistan and Karakalpakstan. Slippers and sneakers will not protect your feet from efa's teeth. Boots are safer.

I happened to catch ef along the banks of the Surkhandarya, in the vicinity of the city of Termez. Snakes were encountered along the dried up channels of old ditches, under the cliffs of the river banks and near the crumbling adobe walls of abandoned buildings. Quite often they came across 20-30 m from residential buildings.

The efas lie in the “plate” position characteristic of them: the body is curved in a double arc, the head is in the center of these arcs. Noticing a person, the efa remains motionless for some time, and then makes threatening movements. At the same time, the curves of the arcs rub against each other and produce a sound that resembles the hiss of drops of water falling on a hot frying pan. I have never heard ephs hiss like other snakes. If the person retreats, the efa calms down and lies motionless again. If it approaches, the snake makes sharp lunges with its head and, maintaining the “plateau” position, moves sideways to the nearest mink or crack. Once near the shelter, she immediately slips into it.

The Central Asian cobra lives only in zone 6. Places where it can be found: foothills, mountain gorges and sands. Not so rarely they live along the banks of rivers, reservoirs and canals.

The average length of a cobra is 120 cm, but there are individuals up to 250 cm long. A cobra is thinner than a gyurza and does not look so ugly. Her body is slender, and her scales are smooth and shiny. A characteristic distinguishing feature of a cobra is its threat posture, in which it raises the front of the body above the ground and straightens the folds of skin (hood) under the head. The Indian cobra has a goggle-like pattern on its hood. For this drawing, the cobra was called a spectacled snake. The cobras living in our country do not have such a pattern. Adult cobras are brown, sometimes with a steel sheen.

Cobra is very careful. Noticing a person, she quickly crawls away to the nearest shelter. If the shelter is far away, the cobra first hides, and when it is detected, it assumes a menacing posture, hissing abruptly and swaying from side to side. Two circumstances are noteworthy in the behavior of the cobra: the first is that the cobra never bites without first taking a pose of threat, and the second is that it can hit the enemy with its head without opening its mouth, that is, it tries to scare him away without using poisonous teeth. If the person retreats, the cobra rushes to the nearest shelter. It rushes, because its movements are so swift that it is difficult to catch up with it even by running. A cobra never chases a man and does not lie in wait for anyone in an ambush.

Common cottonmouth - a relative of the famous American rattlesnakes - is found in zones 2 (south of Siberia), 3, 4 (northern Kalmykia), 5 (south of Azerbaijan), 6 and 7. The size of the snake is medium. Coloring - yellowish-gray with dark transverse stripes on the body. Sometimes the general color tone has a pinkish tinge.

The muzzle lives in pockets, populating mountain forests, thickets of shrubs, steppes, semi-deserts, subalpine meadows. The discovered snake is not in a hurry to take cover, but assumes a pose of threat, which is very peculiar for it: it curls up into a ball, hisses and finely shakes the tip of its tail. A disturbed cottonmouth often emits a characteristic, bad smell, which is felt even at a distance of 4-5 m.

The bite of this snake is painful, but no deaths have been reported.

The eastern cottonmouth lives in zone 7. Like its ordinary "relative", it is of medium size (length 50-55 cm). From above, the body is brownish-gray or brown. On the sides there are a number of large elliptical spots, lighter inside.

It keeps along the edges of the forest, glades, in thickets of bushes, on old rice fields and stony slopes of hills. He swims willingly and catches fish on occasion. The main food is frogs and rodents. Poisonous, but human deaths from its bites are unknown.

Well, what if you met a snake while fishing! First of all, it should be firmly and firmly remembered: a snake, as a rule, does not attack a person first (the males of the gyurza are an exception), but this does not mean at all that she will be indifferent to an attempt to make contact with her and will allow herself to be taken with impunity. Every living being cherishes freedom and protects it by all available means. Including teeth. Well, if these teeth are poisonous, then ...

Arkady Nedyalkov

Dream interpretation of snakes in water

Man has long endowed snakes with far unflattering qualities, among which one can distinguish such as danger and envy. Why dream of snakes in the water? Watching a reptile in your dreams is most often an unkind sign!

The snake is seen as a bad event, especially if it is in the water. In this case, attention should be paid not only to the reptile itself, but also to the feeling that remains. A calm, peaceful state indicates future changes and the presence of cautious and cunning enemies. Anxiety and oppression symbolize active opponents and people plotting deceit.

Dream Interpretation

snake in the water

Dreams can be interpreted in different ways. There are many options that are associated not only with the environment, but also with the behavior of the snake.

Dream interpretation water snake:

• To dream of a reptile in the water column, curled up in a ring - to get into a very difficult, almost insoluble situation. After such portents, it is recommended to be patient and try not to make responsible decisions in the near future. Well-wishers, as a rule, will show themselves.
• Snakes swimming under water are seen to the fact that a person will be defeated. He will get into a serious situation in which he cannot figure it out without outside help.
• A reptile biting a person is seen as a loser. A person who had to see such a plot may have become accustomed to commit desperate acts that in the near future will turn against him.
• If you dream of water that is teeming with snakes, to intrigue. As a rule, this is a dream of confusing situations, especially if you yourself are present in the water. There is such a dream and the fact that a reliable friend has gone over to the enemy side.

Bad and good signs

Dirty water - be careful

It has long been believed that if a person had to see a snake in the water in a dream, then his death is not far off. Perhaps we are talking about the destruction of the family or the loss of valuable property. Reptiles swimming in dirty water bad sign portending involvement in a dangerous adventure due to gossip. In this case, you need to reconsider your friendships and try not to trust anyone.

If you see in a dream a restless snake that swims in clear water, then this is a sign that ill-wishers are acting openly. Often such a dream suggests that they will try to confuse you and convince you of good intentions. You should not trust anyone after such a foreshadowing. A calm reptile in a clear pond, swimming towards you, promises good events. We are talking about moving up the career ladder or housewarming.

When snakes float up dead in a dream, this is a good sign. A person who had to see such a dream will defeat the intruders. He is full of strength and sanity and is able to answer for his actions. good sign is the killing of reptiles in a dream. Seeing this means that prosperity will soon come. If a person killed a snake, then he will be able to independently defeat his enemies, preventing possible consequences their intentions.

Wriggling snakes in a dream are remorse. Do not plan any business after a dream like this, and try to avoid crowded places.

Why does a woman dream of a snake in the water?

a snake in the water with a woman

For a mature woman, a disgusting reptile dreams of good changes. Soon she will gain financial independence. For a young girl, this portends happiness with a loved one.

If a girl or woman sees a lot of floating snakes in a dream, then this indicates the presence of treason. Take a closer look at your chosen one, perhaps he is deceiving you. Seeing reptiles in a dream is a bad sign! But it can also indicate victory over enemies. To interpret what was dreamed should be guided by the sensations that remained after the dream.

Anchor points:

Dreaming of snakes in the water for a woman or girl

For a mature, adult woman, this may mean gaining independence in a relationship with her husband in the material part. It also suggests that you recently made a gross mistake in relationships with the opposite sex and you can pay for it. If you stepped on a reptile in the water- expect soon happiness in your personal life. Snakes in a pond - for a woman or a girl - this means that her beloved may turn out to be a traitor and a deceiver.

A man dreams of snakes in the water

For a man, this dream can be a good harbinger. Expect an extraordinary promotion or move to new house. Also, snakes in the water can mean very fast pleasant trip. Even for a man, this can mean the presence of treacherous and unfaithful women near him, who should be avoided and feared. Another interpretation is that a man has a strong and powerful enemy who can destroy him emotionally.

Dreaming of snakes in the water that bite

If the snake bites in the water- such a dream portends a great danger that is associated with the water element. in the leg or arm indicates that you will be easily manipulated by other people. You will become subject to someone else's bad influence.

Dreaming of snakes in water and on land

When a snake dreams in water, it always alarms the human psyche. This may promise an approaching depression or remind you of a mistake you made in the recent past. usually prophesies good events, but if snakes swim in it, it means that there are hypocritical and insidious friends around you who will gloat over your failures.

Dreaming of a lot of snakes in the water

How more snakes in the water you dreamed, the bigger the troubles await you. What else can be said about such a dream? Sadness, melancholy, melancholy- these are the components of your mood for the near future. You will also be misunderstood by those around you. A lot of snakes in the water - expect severe stress that can destroy you and destroy your psyche.
Perhaps you will experience great excitement, for some reason. The snakes in the water are a warning to some evil.

snakes living in water

Many species of snakes are excellent swimmers, but only a fraction of them have chosen the water as their home.

The greatest snake in the world - giant anaconda(Eunectes murinus) - got its second name ("water boa") precisely because of the love of the water element. The anaconda spends its entire life in low-flowing reservoirs or near them. In the water, this hulk moves very quickly, dives superbly and may not appear on the surface for a long time; at the same time, her nostrils are closed with special valves. Hidden from prying eyes, she lies almost motionless for a long time in warm muddy water and patiently lies in wait for prey: antelopes, monkeys and other animals that have come to the watering place. The color of the anaconda is similar to a camouflage coat: dark spots are located in a checkerboard pattern on a gray-green background, and on the sides there are a number of small light marks surrounded by a dark stripe. The quiet backwaters of the small rivers of the Amazon basin with broad leaves of water lilies floating on the surface and strands of algae swaying in the water column are a real paradise for the hunting water boa. Domestic animals can also be victims of the anaconda: pigs, goats, dogs, as well as geese, ducks, large fish and turtles. As you know, all boas are devoid of poisonous teeth, therefore they kill their prey by strangulation.

Particularly dramatic are the fights of water boas with no less serious predators - caimans, with which they are forced to share the same habitat. The anaconda lies in wait for prey at the very bottom and, seizing the moment, abruptly pounces on the crocodile, “hanging” at the surface of the water in its favorite resting position. If the boa constrictor is lucky, then he will wrap the "critter" across the body with the rings of his muscular body and will squeeze until he can not breathe. But if the caiman turns out to be more agile, then his deadly jaws will close on the body of the snake, breaking the bones.

Due to the fact that all snakes swallow the caught prey whole, anacondas do not attack larger animals. Occasionally you can hear about cases of attacks on people, but even stretched to redistribution, the snake's mouth will not be able to clasp the shoulders of an adult. Preparing for an attack, snakes perfectly compare the dimensions of a potential victim and their own, but from the aquatic environment they can see the human body distorted and, accordingly, underestimate its true dimensions. Only the tragic episode of the death of a local thirteen-year-old boy swallowed by a giant anaconda, cited by R. Blomberg, is quite reliable. However, Indian hunters themselves often kill giant anacondas, not being afraid to be strangled in their deadly embrace.

Anaconda wraps its rings around the body of a caiman

A well-fed snake loves to bask in the sun, but it never goes far from the water, and when its favorite reservoir dries up, it crawls into another backwater. During a period of severe drought, snakes can fall into a saving suspended animation, burrowing into the bottom silt until the rainy season. Under water, such a complex process as molting also takes place; at the same time, the snake diligently rubs against the bottom snags and stones and gradually pulls off the old skin from itself - it crawls out. The larger the snake, the more difficult it is for her to pull off her “worn clothes”, but without water, even under the condition high humidity air, molting occurs in pieces, hard and long.

The largest reliably measured specimen of the giant anaconda was from Colombia and reached 11.43 m, and the weight of this snake monster, according to calculations, exceeded 300 kg.

However, the most specialized group in this respect are the cobra-related representatives of the family sea ​​snakes(Hydrophidae), living in the seas of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Often they are met in the middle of the ocean, but the favorite habitat is part of the water area no further than 5–6 km from the coast.

In the process of evolution, these reptiles have turned into real submariners, rising to the surface only to breathe air. About 50 species of sea snakes are known to science, united in 16 genera. Representatives of the subfamily of dove-tailed sea snakes are able to swim tail first, and even bring their small offspring (1-2 cubs) here, in the water element. The leathery shells of the eggs are torn even in the birth canal of the female, releasing the babies, slipping directly into the water. The laying in the water would certainly die, so ovoviviparity allows dovetails to lead an exclusively aquatic lifestyle and frees them from the need to go to land to lay eggs, as sea turtles do. Interestingly, many representatives of the subfamily have a primitive placenta that connects the embryo with the mother's body.

The appearance of sea snakes is very peculiar and resembles eel-like fish rather than terrestrial relatives. A small head with small eyes with a round pupil is covered with round shields and smoothly passes into the body. The front part of the body is almost cylindrical, and the back is laterally flattened, ending in a wide flat tail that acts as an engine. All members of the family are characterized by a decrease or complete absence of expanded abdominal (“walking”) scutes, which were important when moving on a solid substrate, but turned out to be an obstacle when swimming. To improve gliding in the water column, the body of most species of sea snakes is covered both above and below with small identical scales, making the skin soft and elastic. Being excellent swimmers and divers, sea snakes cannot move on land and, being pulled ashore, helplessly writhe and writhe.

in salty sea ​​water the legendary forked tongue can no longer fulfill its olfactory-tactile role, therefore, in sea snakes, it is greatly shortened and only its tip is able to protrude from the mouth. The oral mucosa is rich in capillary blood vessels and can absorb oxygen directly from the water. This additional organ of water respiration allows the snake to stay under water for a long time.

The nostrils are located at the top of the muzzle, which allows reptiles to breathe freely, sticking out of the water only the very tip of the nose. When diving, the nostrils are closed by special valves that prevent water from entering the respiratory tract. The left lung is completely lost, but the right lung is so elongated that it continues through the entire body up to the anus and ends with a special bag that serves as a kind of spare container. In addition to the main respiratory function, this unusual lung plays the role of a hydrostatic apparatus, similar to the swim bladder in most fish. Its maximum filling with air reduces specific gravity body of a sea snake and increases its buoyancy.

Sea hunters feed on all kinds of fish, primarily eels.

In addition to active hunting, snakes can lie in wait for prey using bait. To do this, they spread out on the surface of the water and wait for curious fish to gather around an unfamiliar object, approaching close enough. This is followed by a sharp movement - and one of the fish is caught. An interesting fact is that when eating fish with sharp fins, their spiky rays are not digested and excreted by the digestive system, but are pushed out right through the wall of the snake's body. Often, a mass of aquatic creatures (for example, sea ducks) is attached to the skin or even to the eyes, which the snake can only get rid of when shedding old skin during molting.

Sea snake

Like terrestrial asps, sea snakes have venom glands in the front of their mouths. The venom of sea snakes is highly toxic - it acts more strongly than the poison of viper, king cobra and rattlesnake. A similar fact is a hunting adaptation to eating cold-blooded animals (fish), which are relatively resistant to poisoning. Paired venomous teeth of sea snakes are located at the anterior end of the maxillary bone. Behind the poisonous fangs on the upper jaw are small teeth, their number is different types- from 1 to 18. Such “toothiness” allows marine reptiles to hold slippery and nimble prey more tightly. To master the prey, it is enough for a snake to introduce a very small amount of poison into the victim - from 1 to 20 mg in dry weight (0.06–0.12 ml of liquid poison). The venom has a neurotoxic effect, similar to cobrotoxin, and prey fish are killed almost instantly.

Sea snakes do not attack divers first and do not bite people without special prompting. Asian net fishermen handle sea snakes without ceremony, fearlessly pulling them out with their hands. A venomous bite can be obtained by accidentally stepping on a snake in water, or by grasping it abruptly, causing pain. Pathological phenomena occur a few hours after the bite and are accompanied by moderate dizziness, nausea, weakness and depression. Diagnostic signs are spasm of masticatory muscles, drooping of the eyelids, dilated pupils, dryness and burning in the throat. In the case of severe intoxication, paralysis of the eye muscles and face occurs, impaired coordination of movements progresses, signs of respiratory and cardiac disorders appear. The victim's skin becomes moist and cyanotic. If emergency measures are not taken, then after 5–10 hours convulsions begin, and without regaining consciousness, the victim dies from paralysis of the respiratory center. Fortunately, the percentage of deaths from bites is low, due to the fact that the doses of poison injected into the wound are designed for the size of the fish and are small for humans.

The largest member of the subfamily is spiral dovetail(Hydrophis spiralis), reaching a length of 2.7 m. Slightly inferior to it in size graceful dovetail(N. elegans) living in the waters of Northern Australia and off the island of Aru. The length of large individuals often exceeds 2 m. Other species living in the Indian Ocean and in the seas South-East Asia, smaller sizes (up to 1–1.5 m). wonderful spread Luzon dovetail(N. semperi), which lives in the freshwater Tal Lake, located in the crater of an extinct volcano in the south of Luzon (Philippines). This species is the only sea snake that has adapted to life in fresh water.

Bicolor Bonito(Pelamis platurus) has the most extensive distribution area, often found in the open ocean, hundreds of kilometers from the nearest shore. The dark brown, almost black color of the upper side of the body contrasts with the light yellow color of the belly, and these two colors sharply replace each other on the sides. The tail is covered with large dark spots on a light background. In the Indian Ocean, from the Persian Gulf to the Malay Archipelago, two species live enhydrin(Enhydrina). These snakes, about 1 m long, are very numerous in the eastern part of the range and often keep in large groups, tens of falling into fishing nets. One and a half meter individuals of bright red with black rings astrocia(Astrotia stokesii) can be found in giant aggregations - for example, in the Strait of Malacca, the length of such a living conglomerate reached 100 km with an average width of 3 m.

Representatives of the second subfamily - flat-tailed sea snakes - still retained some connection with land and are often found far from water. They are oviparous and come ashore to procreate. Most handsome ringed flattail(Laticauda laticauda), which has a bright blue color of the body, along which wide black rings alternate. This snake is a frequent visitor to coral reefs, lives in coastal thickets of seaweed and in the surf. two meters big flattail(L. semifasciata) serves as an object of fishing for Japanese fishermen. Sea snakes are harvested for their skins, and are also used as food, served smoked and fried in Japanese restaurants.

About 30 species of snakes, united in a subfamily, also went into the water element. freshwater snakes(Homalopsinae). However, even on land, these creatures feel confident due to the fact that the scales covering the body have not undergone significant changes and are similar to those of terrestrial forms. The teeth of the posterior pair of the upper jaws are enlarged, have a groove on the anterior face and communicate with the poison-producing gland. Freshwater snakes hunt for fish, crustaceans and amphibians, which are instantly paralyzed by poison, but such a bite is harmless to humans.

One of the representatives, called herpeton, or tentacle snake(Herpeton tentaculatum), at the end of the muzzle there is a pair of scaly tentacles, in a calm state of the animal stretched forward. The body of freshwater snakes is often overgrown with filamentous colonies of algae, forming a continuous swaying green cover that hides hunter reptiles among the vegetation at the bottom of the reservoir. Such a picturesque disguise persists for a very long time, since the herpeton molts very rarely. Being caught and carried ashore, the snake falls into a kind of stupor, freezing and becoming straight and hard, like a stick.

Representatives of another subfamily of snakes - warty snakes(Acrochordinae) - found in swampy estuaries, lagoons, the coastal part of the sea and mangroves. On land, these reptiles are even more helpless than sea snakes. Their body is covered with small non-overlapping trihedral scales, loosely adjacent to each other. Between them, bare skin is visible, covered with such a dense network of blood vessels, which suggests that these snakes have the so-called "skin breathing" characteristic of amphibians.

The most common type is Javanese warty snake(A. javanicus) - reaches a length of more than 2 m, and for the thickness it is nicknamed by the population of the coastal regions of Thailand "the elephant trunk snake." Females, which are much larger than males, bring up to 72 young individuals.

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