Foresters warn against vipers. Dangerous reptiles are becoming more and more willing to hit the trails
Spring is ahead of us, and sunny weather greets us more and more often. This favors, among other things, walks in the forest or trips to the mountains. Foresters warn that you should watch out for vipers there.
Many of us like to travel around Poland or the world, but we are not always aware of the threats that await us. Some, even though they seem trivial and obvious, may escape our attention. Do you remember that you have to avoid pit vipers in the upcoming season? Representatives of the Cisna Forest District have already issued an appeal. It is aimed mainly at walkers and mountain explorers.
Zigzag vipers are already in the forests
“The weather has been sunny in the Bieszczady Mountains for several days, so you can already see the first pit vipers” – this is the foresters' message. The Facebook post of the Cisna Forest District also included an illustrative photo of the reptile. Although you need to be especially careful on trails in these mountainous areas, it is also worth being careful in other forests or reserves.
The zigzag adder crawls quite quickly and may suddenly emerge, among others: from a pile of leaves. It also happens that reptiles simply cross the tourists' trail and then quickly hide in the bushes. It is worth being careful not only when walking, but also when sitting in random places. Before we decide to rest, it is worth carefully checking the surface we are near.
How will we know that we are dealing with this particular species? The zigzag viper is the only venomous one in our country, so before visiting the forest or mountains, it is worth getting acquainted with what it looks like. The mentioned species has a stocky body and a flattened, heart-shaped head with a characteristic dark “X”-shaped spot. There is a zigzag black ribbon on its body, but the color can vary – from brown to gray or copper to black. The size of the reptile reaches up to 120 cm.
Vipers threaten tourists. This must not be done
People who are often exposed to encounters with the pit viper should not only be able to recognize the species, but also follow specific rules. All this to prevent being bitten – this often has dangerous and unpleasant consequences. We should especially take care of the safety of children, because they usually react to venom much worse than adults.
If we see a viper, we should stay calm and not panic. Under no circumstances should you touch her with sticks or try to “make friends” with her. If it turns out that despite caution, a reptile will bite us, we should call for help as soon as possible and immobilize the bitten limb so that the venom spreads throughout the body as slowly as possible.
