Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Contact    |    RSS icon Twitter icon Facebook icon  
Unexplained Mysteries
You are viewing: Home > News > Nature & Environment > News story
Welcome Guest ( Login or Register )  
All ▾
Search Submit

Nature & Environment

New species of snake discovered in the UK

By T.K. Randall
August 7, 2017 · Comment icon 9 comments

The grass snake is native to the UK. Image Credit: CC BY 2.0 Lukas Jonaitis
The find brings the total number of distinct snake species in the British Isles from three to four.
Scientists studying the barred grass snake, which was thought to be a subspecies of the common grass snake, have discovered that it is actually a distinct species in its own right.

Both snakes are typically found in lowland regions in the south of England and are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, meaning that it is an offense to injure or kill them.
"We discovered that the barred grass snake, previously considered a subspecies, is in fact a distinct species," said Professor Uwe Fritz from the Senckenberg Research Institute in Germany.

"We now have to pay close attention to which species of grass snake is involved in each case, in order to be able to assess whether one of them may be more threatened than previously thought."

Source: BBC News | Comments (9)




Other news and articles
Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by Stiff 7 years ago
I think I've only ever seen one snake in the wild here and that was in East Yorkshire around ten years ago. 
Comment icon #2 Posted by paperdyer 7 years ago
Just keep it where it is.  No need to export.  We have plenty of snakes here already. In fact we have too many, at least the poisonous ones.
Comment icon #3 Posted by BeastieRunner 7 years ago
Just what Britain needs, another snake.
Comment icon #4 Posted by Still Waters 7 years ago
My father-in-law got bitten by a snake once. He was cutting a hedge in his garden at the time, he didn't see the snake but certainly felt its bite, it left 2 puncture marks on his hand. He thought it was an adder because his hand became inflamed and swollen, luckily the swelling didn't spread up his arm so no real harm done. I've only seen one snake too, and that was in Wales around 40 years ago. We were out walking and spotted it slithering away from us, a grass snake I think. At least that's what my dad said it was.
Comment icon #5 Posted by Matt221 7 years ago
I've got grass snakes in my Orchard little beauty's they are
Comment icon #6 Posted by Matt221 7 years ago
My dad got bitten by an adder when we lived in a house near a marsh his ankle swelled up went black and all puffy but to be fair we did know snakes were there
Comment icon #7 Posted by Stiff 7 years ago
Yes, the one I saw was definitely a grass snake too. I think that's all there are in the wild here. It was crossing a road that leads up to a farm I was just leaving from. Luckily I noticed it and managed to brake in time 
Comment icon #8 Posted by Myles 7 years ago
Sounds like grass snakes are similar to garter snakes here in the states.   Not really the look, but being harmless to humans.  I seen a garter snake yesterday.   I almost caught it, but it avoided me.  
Comment icon #9 Posted by Matt221 7 years ago
Ive only ever seen one smooth snake here in the uk it was down in Dorset in fact I've seen all the reptiles and amphibians apart from natterjack toad oh and the small colony of green lizards down on the south coast somwhere


Please Login or Register to post a comment.


Our new book is out now!
Book cover

The Unexplained Mysteries
Book of Weird News

 AVAILABLE NOW 

Take a walk on the weird side with this compilation of some of the weirdest stories ever to grace the pages of a newspaper.

Click here to learn more

We need your help!
Patreon logo

Support us on Patreon

 BONUS CONTENT 

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you can gain access to a wide range of exclusive perks including our popular 'Lost Ghost Stories' series.

Click here to learn more

Recent news and articles