The Balkan whip snake (Hierophis gemonensis) is a nonvenomous species of snake in the family Colubridae. It is threatened by habitat loss in parts of its range but overall is assessed by the IUCN as being of "least concern".
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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Non-venomousHi
HibernatingHibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Balkan whip snake is a slender snake with smooth scales. The head is fairly distinct from the body and has prominent eyes with round pupils. The head and front of the body are olive-grey or yellowish-brown with dark spots separated by paler areas which may form irregular bars. There are often small white specks on some of the scales. Further back the dark spots are usually arranged in longitudinal lines giving a striped effect. The underparts are whitish or pale yellow, with some spotting on the sides of the neck and sometimes elsewhere. There are usually 19 dorsal scales around the mid-body, 160 to 187 belly scales, and 80 to 116 pairs of under-tail scales.
Balkan whip snakes are found in extreme northeastern Italy, most of the Balkan countries (specifically in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia), and mainland Greece as well as many offshore islands. It is also present in Crete, the Ionian Islands, Euboea, Kythera, and Karpathos. These snakes inhabit shrubby vegetation, stony areas, scree, open woodland, road banks, and ruins. They also occur in pastureland, plantations, and rural gardens.
Balkan whip snakes ground-dwelling creatures though they do sometimes clamber through low vegetation. They are fast and agile and hunt their prey during the daylight hours. During cold months they hibernate in rock fissures, animal burrows, or outbuildings, and sometimes several snakes will share a hibernating site.
Balkan whip snakes are carnivores. They prey on lizards, large insects such as grasshoppers, nestling birds, and small mammals.
Little is known about the reproductive habits of Balkan whip snakes. Females lay clutches of 4 to 10 oval eggs in mid-summer. The young hatch in 60-70 days and measure 15 cm (6 in) in length.
In some areas of their native range, Balkan whip snakes suffer from habitat loss due to agriculture, fire, and pollution.
According to the IUCN Red List, the Balkan whip snake is common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
