Male Adder
Male Adder, Peak District National Park. One of my favourite projects in early spring is to see how the local population of Adders are doing. Despite the nationwide decline, the Peak District remains a firm stronghold for the UK’s only venomous snake. This male was happily basking on the the dead bracken.
Male Adder – About Adders:
The Adder is Britain’s only venomous snake, but it’s incredibly rare for one to bite. Not at all aggressive animals, they will only use their venom as a last means of defence.
“Adders are the only venomous snakes found in Britain, although they are absent from Ireland. They use their venom to immobilise prey such as lizards, amphibians, nestlings and small mammals. After striking their prey, they leave the venom to take effect before following the victim’s scent to find the body. Although an adder’s venom poses little danger to a healthy adult human, the bite is very painful and requires urgent medical attention. Adders are the most northerly distributed snake and the only species found inside the Arctic circle.” – BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Vipera_berus)