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Alarm at the bathing lake: More and more black grass snakes have been spotted!
Increasing sightings of black grass snakes at bathing lakes in Germany are alarming animal rights activists. Keep your distance and protect yourself!
Alarm at the bathing lake: More and more black grass snakes have been spotted!
In Germany, the increasing number of black snake sightings at swimming lakes and in gardens is causing excitement. The majority of these sightings involve black grass snakes, which are known to be good swimmers but are completely harmless to humans. Experts point out that the frequency of sightings has increased with more natural gardens and the presence of watering holes and ponds, which attract amphibians and their predators. Animal rights activists warn of violence against these animals; There are fines of up to 50,000 euros for killing snakes like this Swabian reported.
The Ruhr Area Wilderness School, which is increasingly focusing on sightings, has registered a sharp increase in emergency calls in North Rhine-Westphalia, especially in Witten. In the last three to four weeks, there have been over 50 calls from citizens concerned that snakes may be poisonous or abandoned. However, this is unfounded as black grass snakes are native and protected. The Ruhr24 notes that the black coloring of these snakes is due to a gene mutation called melanism.
Common misunderstandings
Black grass snakes are often mistaken for adders, leading to their unlawful killing. Animal rights activists appeal to citizens to respect snakes in nature and to keep their distance. The increase in grass snake sightings is also a result of climate change, which has favored the evolution of these egg-laying snakes over the last five to six years.
The sightings of black snakes are not just limited to Witten. Numerous reports were also documented in cities such as Duisburg, Dortmund, Essen and Oberhausen. The data shows that 90-95% of reports involve native snakes, while exotic species such as pythons and corn snakes account for less than 5%.
Call to report sightings
Special sightings include a grass snake that was discovered in a gutter and another that occupied an electrical box and thereby disabled a traffic light system. Citizens are encouraged to report sightings to 01577/2949225, which will provide a better overview of the distribution of this snake species.