Medynka vulgaris is the snake of our forests

Medyanka ordinary - a snake of small size,inhabiting the European and Asian territory of Russia. Unfortunately, recently the number of these reptiles is declining everywhere. This is due to the destruction of natural habitats. Also, coppers are often destroyed by confusing them with venomous snakes.

Copperhead ordinary reaches no more than 70 centimeters in length, the tail is 5-6 times shorter than the body.

The head of the reptile is flattened, the separation withbody weakly expressed. The pupil of the eye is round, has a red color. The maxillary scute is strongly distinguished in comparison with the interthick shield. The color of the verdigris varies depending on the habitat and may be copper with a red tinge, yellow or almost red. On the back, along the entire length of the body, there are two rows of large mild spots. From the nostrils to the mouth are laid dark stripes. The tail has a color different from the color of the body of the snake. The scales on the back are shiny, diamond-shaped or hexagonal. Males have a reddish body, and females - brown. The usual habitat for coppers are forests of central Russia. They can be found on the edge of coniferous, mixed or deciduous forests.

Favorite snakes loaches are wellheated by the sun cuttings and grass undergrowth. In the meadows and open areas, these snakes are extremely rare, as they avoid such places. In the mountainous regions of the Caucasus, you can also meet this snake, where they live on rocky mountain slopes. As dwellings of the creeps use holes of rodents, lizards. They can be found in the natural voids under stones and trees. The crevices in rocks and rocks can also serve as an excellent home for a snake. The reptile has a particularly wide distribution in the Caucasus, 5-6 individuals can be seen per kilometer through the forest, and in the middle lane one can not meet a single representative of this species.

The snake's active lifestyle is calledcommon "leads from early April to September. Sometimes the reptile can be found in early October. When a danger of a snake is found, the photo is

renders, curls up, hides his headin the middle of the tangle. In a similar form, with aggressive actions towards her, she reacts with even greater squeezing into a ball and hissing. Also, the snake can rush towards the enemy. Matings begin in early spring, extremely rarely in late autumn. Copperhead is a viviparous reptile, that is, the young hatch from the eggs at the time they lay on the female. The number of babies born can be from two to fifteen pieces. Hatchlings hatch from late August to early September. The length of young snakes reaches approximately 14 centimeters.

Copperhead, whose photos are given above,mainly lizards, small rodents, frogs, insects, and also does not hesitate to small mammals. The number of the snake is constantly decreasing. In Belarus, it is already listed in the Red Book. And in the Bern Convention spelled protection of this endangered species of snake.