Scenes seen almost all over the country: Are there more and more snakes in Swiss lakes?

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Snake alert in Lake Zurich: The reptiles in our waters have been causing a stir since two snakebites were spotted fighting over a fish at Herrliberg ZH. In fact, the dice snake has spread in the Lake Zurich basin over the past two decades.

According to herpetologist Manuel Frei (37), this phenomenon is not new. The environmental scientist specializes in the conservation of reptiles and amphibians. “Originally, it only occurs south of the Alps in Ticino, Misox and Poschiavo,” he explains. Until it was abandoned by private individuals in the 1990s.

The dice snake finds ideal conditions here: “They have no competition and mostly fish.” That is why it is mostly found near bodies of water, the dice snake dives under water for up to 20 minutes and warms up on the stones on the shore. Grass snakes naturally found in our lakes are less common. However, it tends to stay in natural coastal areas with reeds or reeds.

under threat of extinction

Frei criticizes the hysteria surrounding snakes in Lake Zurich: “As soon as a snake is filmed and featured online and in the media, the excitement begins,” he says. But the problem isn’t that there are more snakes. “There are more and more people on the lake shores and we are visibly encroaching on the animals’ habitats.”

Rather than being afraid of snakes, it is more important to protect them. In fact, all nine native snakes are on the Swiss Red List of Threatened Species. They are pushed out by agriculture and settlement.

For example, when houses are built right next to a nature reserve: “So it’s not surprising that a snake appeared in the pond in the garden and grabbed a frog from there.”

You don’t need to be afraid of them, on the contrary: “You can be happy when you see someone. Snakes are shy and disappear as soon as we show up.”

Also, only two species are venomous, the asp viper and the viper. “But they do not occur on the Central Plateau, and an encounter is extremely rare.” In Switzerland, no people have died from the bite of an indigenous species since 1961.

They don’t bite, but…

If you are lucky enough to see a grass snake or dice snake in the lake, you should never touch it. Not just because it’s forbidden in wild animals. “They don’t bite, but they can secrete a putrid secretion,” Frei says.

Observing animals in peace is much more valuable. According to Frei, many people have misconceptions about snakes. “They are considered cold and unfeeling. But anyone who observes snakes mating will discover that they are very affectionate and gentle with one another,” says the ecologist.

But what about the spread of the dice snake to other Swiss lakes? According to Jörg Gemsch (65) from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry (Lawa), there are almost no reports of this in Lucerne on the shore of Lake Lucerne. “Only Lopper has a large population that has been illegally released. I can’t tell why they haven’t spread further along the coast.”

The spread is greater in Lake Brienz and Lake Biel. The growing population of the membrane snake in Lake Geneva is already problematic, according to the species and habitats expert. Because it competes for the habitat of the viper resident there. “It’s in danger of extinction,” says Gemsch. “That’s why there’s nothing more foolish than exposing alien species.”

Source : Blick