Dangerous poisonous snake found in Sochi

The largest of the vipers living on the territory of the former USSR – gyurza – was found in one of the rooms in the city center. The Red Book species does not occur in Sochi in nature. Those who found a poisonous reptile turned to rescuers and animal rights activists. But neither of them, according to the description, did not recognize a dangerous predator in the snake, they only advised "to put it in a box and release it in the park." Vipers have several external signs by which the species can be distinguished. Firstly, an unusual color - a zigzag pattern on the snake's body should alert and attract attention. Secondly, the peculiarity of the structure of the eyes - in all venomous snakes, the pupils are narrowed, in non-venomous species, the pupils are round. Only professionals can handle snakes safely, otherwise a painful bite cannot be avoided. Gyurza's main weapon is huge fangs and poisonous glands.

Those who found the snake got through to the specialists of the Sochi National Park. According to herpetologist Boris Tuniev, gyurza is a sexually mature female about 3 years old. The animal is in good condition, quite well-fed. According to external signs, the viper was kept in a terrarium, which, however, did not deprive it of either natural instincts or the ability to inflict deadly bites on its victims.

– It is no coincidence that the scientific name of the giant viper is coffin. This reflects the characteristics of the venom of this snake. The species lives in the wild in the Near East, Central Asia, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan. In Russia, it lives in Dagestan. In this regard, it is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Gyurza, like all snakes, attack only in case of self-defense. But it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the animal - snakes do not see well enough, and all snakes are deaf. She can only recognize a victim or an enemy from a fairly close distance. And here a bite can happen if you do not take precautions," said Boris Tuniev, Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the Sochi National Park.

While the found reptile will live at the scientific department of the Sochi National Park. Here she will be provided with professional care, feeding, and maintenance - at a safe distance from others. There is no question of releasing the snake into the wild.

As for the appearance of the snake in Sochi, so far there are more questions than answers. If a dangerous reptile was kept in a private terrarium, then you need to look for its owner. However, the chances that he will voluntarily come for an escaped pet are extremely small, since the purchase, sale and maintenance of red book animals is regulated by the legislation of the Russian Federation and can turn into a criminal case.