Snake spotted in Lanzarote

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   Firstly, I was under the opinion that no snakes were indigenous to Lanzarote. So imagine my surprise when I came across gorgeous 1 metre speciman. To me it looked like a Horseshoe Whip Snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis) it had yellow and black colouration. It had circle-like markings along its back. Any ideas what else it could be? I know that the Horseshoe lives in Portugal, could it have swam or stowed away on a boat?  

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Ross Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 26 Dec 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 25	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ross Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Snake spotted in Lanzarote Posted: 27 Dec 2004 at 1:38am
	Firstly, I was under the opinion that no snakes were indigenous to Lanzarote. So imagine my surprise when I came across gorgeous 1 metre speciman. To me it looked like a Horseshoe Whip Snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis) it had yellow and black colouration. It had circle-like markings along its back. Any ideas what else it could be? I know that the Horseshoe lives in Portugal, could it have swam or stowed away on a boat?

herpetologic2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Coordinator Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1511	Post Options Post Reply Quote herpetologic2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jan 2005 at 1:20pm
	Errr kept as a pet and then escaped? J

djp_phillips Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 180	Post Options Post Reply Quote djp_phillips Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 Jan 2006 at 3:09pm
	maybe corn snake, but I'll look into snakes on Lanzarotte, otherwise check with the pet shops... see what they sell...
	Reptiles & Amphibians of France: www.herpfrance.com European Field Herping Community: www.euroherp.com

Dan Kane Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 198	Post Options Post Reply Quote Dan Kane Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 Jan 2006 at 7:00am
	There are no Snakes indigenous to any of the Canary Islands. The snake you saw was most likely either someone's pet, which escaped, or it escaped from a pet shop. It may have stowed away on some floating junk, or maybe a boat, in which case it might have been some kind of N.W. African species, or it may have been someone's pet there. Do you remember what shape it was; shape of head, thickness of body...
	Dan www.randacumbria.moonfruit.com

djp_phillips Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 180	Post Options Post Reply Quote djp_phillips Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 Jan 2006 at 10:37am
	so there are no snakes in the canaries... that's dissapointing as my family wanted to visit there, but are you sure because until now I only knew of Ireland, greenland... and other cold places being the only snake free zones...
	Reptiles & Amphibians of France: www.herpfrance.com European Field Herping Community: www.euroherp.com

Dan Kane Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 198	Post Options Post Reply Quote Dan Kane Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 Jan 2006 at 11:29am
	No, sorry, but i'm sure there aren't and naturally present snakes there The reptiles that I know of in the Canaries are: East Canary Gecko Gran Canaria Gecko Tenerife Gecko La Gomera Gecko The Gallotia Lizards Gran Canaria Skink Eastern Canary Skink West Canary Skink Which Island(s) were/are you planning to visit? Edited by Dan Kane
	Dan www.randacumbria.moonfruit.com

djp_phillips Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 180	Post Options Post Reply Quote djp_phillips Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jan 2006 at 12:29pm
	I think either Gran Caneria or Lanzerotte (sorry for the spelling on that)! But I was searching for snakes from over there, I seemed to think there were sand vipers.
	Reptiles & Amphibians of France: www.herpfrance.com European Field Herping Community: www.euroherp.com

Dan Kane Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 198	Post Options Post Reply Quote Dan Kane Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 31 Jan 2006 at 3:23pm
	There are Puff Aders, Desert Horned Vipers and Horned Adders on the nearest part of Morocco to them... Also an isolated population of Egyptian Cobras...
	Dan www.randacumbria.moonfruit.com

djp_phillips Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 180	Post Options Post Reply Quote djp_phillips Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 31 Jan 2006 at 3:25pm
	yes but none on the caneries???
	Reptiles & Amphibians of France: www.herpfrance.com European Field Herping Community: www.euroherp.com

Dan Kane Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 198	Post Options Post Reply Quote Dan Kane Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 31 Jan 2006 at 3:55pm
	Nope, it says in one of the herp books I have, on the Gallotia page "in the absence of snakes, these lizards have few natural enemies". Edited by Dan Kane
	Dan www.randacumbria.moonfruit.com