The United Kingdom is experiencing the spread of a new species of snake. New research indicates that the reptiles, which can grow to be several meters in length, reside in attics and on the walls of houses in order to maintain a comfortable temperature.
There are only three species of snakes that are native to the United Kingdom. Recent years, however, have seen the introduction of yet another species of scaly reptiles that have begun to spread across the British Isles.
In addition, it appears that the snakes like to reside in close proximity to humans, such as in hollow walls and attics. With the Latin name Zamenis longissimus, it depicts a new research of 21 grass snakes that are found in the vicinity of the Welsh Mountain Zoo in the town of Colwyn Bay, Wales, as well as in the vicinity of London Zoo in Regent's Park, which is located in the capital city of London. The London Zoo has stated in a blog post that they do not believe the snakes are show animals who have escaped from their confines. Instead, they assert that the snakes' population began in the enclosures of a local group that specialized in the study of reptiles.
The Southern European snake lives in compost piles that are constantly warm. With a length of up to two meters, the Aesculapian snake is one of the kinds of snakes that is considered to be among the largest in Europe. Neither of these things are harmful, and it is an expert climber. In addition, the British people has taken advantage of this fact in order to exist in a temperate climate that should be too cold for the snake, which typically inhabits portions of Western Asia, Southern Europe, and Eastern Europe.
By implanting tracking devices in twenty-one snakes, researchers from Bournemouth University have been able to observe the habits of the reptiles. According to the current study, which is still undergoing peer review, the researchers discovered that male snakes, in particular, make use of their climbing ability to crawl up into the attics of houses or into hollow walls, where they appear to find it easier to maintain a warm environment.
"We observed that the Eastern Rat Snakes actively sought out and returned to inhabited buildings and climbed over tall structures to access attics and hollow house walls," the scientists write in their report.
When they are about to lay eggs, the females tend to settle in warm compost heaps, but when they are not, they prefer to reside in gardens or woodland areas more than anything else. The fossils that have been found on the British Isles demonstrate that aesculepian snakes inhabited the area for approximately 300,000 years until the Ice Age wiped them off and they never came back. Up until this point. This particular type of snake does not possess any venomous properties and primarily consumes tiny prey, including rats, mice, birds, and other reptiles.
Although they do not pose a threat to human beings, they can give you a few nightmares if they are seen crawling around in your attic or climbing up the walls of your home.