Despite the very hot weather I managed some early morning herptrips in the area.
Four of them were dedicated to the search of the Vipera ursinii and the three other ones searching for snakes not too far from our home.
These 3 trips were not very good with the discovery of only one young Natrix natrix near the river Durance and one Malpolon monspessulanus DOR and also a 1,2 m. shedding of the same species in Crau.
More pics of the Natrix http://www.pbase.com/stephaubry/natrix_natrix_250712
In the garden we enjoyed the presence of some Tarentola mauretanica :
More on http://www.pbase.com/stephaubry/tarentola_mauretanica
Now the V. ursinii trips : I spent about 16 hours searching for this marvellous snake. Only one trip was not successful…
The first one (23th July) I didn’t found the vipers but a Coronella austriaca that it’s not so bad…
More pics : http://www.pbase.com/stephaubry/coronella_austriaca_230712
During the second trip I found (28th July) I found a relativly elusive Viper…
The third trip (30th July) was not successful with only Podarcis muralis and Lacerta bilineata
According to some herpers and my own experience in May 2012, this year is not very good to watch for Vipera ursinii but my first sight gave me some hopes…
And I decided to try my luck for a last time on 3th August ! That was the good time !
After only 30 minutes in the field I discovered two vipers near a stone under a pine tree. I was able to stay with the vipers (and after some minutes only one) during 1 hour and a half shooting many pics very closely, without disturbing them ! That was an absolutly great moment that I’m not able to describe with my poor english !
Here are some pics :
- As I discovered the first individual...
- Here is a portrait of the second one, disappearing few minutes later
- After this picture, I managed to get out this disgracious branch without perturbing the animal...
- With my pictures JP Baron was able to identify these two vipers !
- Both are females : this one is born in 2002 and the animal of the second picture is born in 1998 !
More pics of this great meeting http://www.pbase.com/stephaubry/vipera_ursinii_030812
Very nice observation, was it in the morning (what time)? Do you know how many vipers is JP Baron monitoring?
Do you have an estimate of how many vipers there are in that population?
