fieldherping.eu

Next Friday, I will drive to Liguria and its salamanders. Two (about equally long) route options seem to present themselves.

+ for going through Switzerland:
1) Salamandra atra - but is that achievable???
2) Vipera aspis - but is that achievable???
3) nicer scenery
- for going through Switzerland:
4) probably in reality slower and maybe winter weather

Please comment on my thoughts (also non-Swiss with ideas, of course ).

it looks like, the western route is touching Switzerland only a small bit.
I only may tell you for the eastern route:
For sure very nice scenery through the alps, and maybe still reptile-weather in Ticino.

Mario

1) The snow line is at aroud 1700m at the moment and not expected to drop significantly till Friday. S. atra is also found in low elevations, but I don't know if they are still active in November like S. salamandra is.
2) The current weather forecast for Ticino looks good for Friday. Quite sunny and highs of 15°C.
4) Winter weather is not expected.

Salamandra atra will probably not be active at this time of the year even in the lowland spots. According to my book of Reptiles and Amphibians of Baden-Württemberg, activity in the lowland spots here in my area ends already in the first weeks of September. But I was not out checking this the last weeks.
I think in the lower areas and the northern sunny sides of the valleys in Ticino you can still be lucky.

Dominik

Hi Michael,

I meant for Vipera and so on in Ticino.

Michael Glass wrote:Is S. atra confirmed for Ticino?!

Just two older and unconfirmed records according to:
http://lepus.unine.ch/carto/index.php?n ... &year=2000

Thomas Reich wrote:Just two older and unconfirmed records according to:
http://lepus.unine.ch/carto/index.php?n ... &year=2000

Nice link to good distribution maps for Switzerland

Hi Jeroen,

Living in western Switzerland, I think it's a lottery to find one Asp Viper now... I saw my last one on 30th October, since that day we had a lot of rain and cold but the weather should be better on Thursday and Friday.

Friday, I'll be in the field if the conditions are favorable.

Thanks for the input, guys! The trip will be super-short, so we'll have to see what we can fit in, but it's always great to have options.