Are there snakes in mongolia

The species have stable populations and are hardly threatened probably due to the sparse human habitation. There are many lizards, snakes, vipers, adders, and geckos in the country. For example, the adder snake is very common in the country inhabiting areas that can accommodate their basking, foraging, and hibernation behavior.

The Viviparous Lizard is a unique kind of reptile because it gives birth to live young, unlike most other lizards that lay eggs. Another native reptile of Mongolia is variegated Toadhead Agama, which is found in areas with scanty vegetation.

The Halys Pit Viper is a reptile endemic to Mongolia. The snake is not aggressive, but it bites when disturbed or alarmed. It loves to bask, forage, and hibernate. As such it is found in habitats like chalky downs, moors, rocky hillsides, and meadows, edges of woods, rough commons, and sunny glades. Sometimes it ventures into wetlands that have dry grounds, so it is found along rivers, ponds, and lakes. An adult usually grows to about 60 centimeters from head to tail. The snout is raised into a small ridge.

The snake feeds on lizards, birds, amphibians, and small mammals and in other cases insects, worms, and spiders. The species is ovoviviparous. A female adder breeds after two or three years, with litters born in either late summer or early autumn. The young ones stay with the mother for a few days.

The Viviparous lizard is the only species in the Genus Zootoca. Unlike most lizards, Zootoca vivipara is viviparous, meaning that it gives birth to live offspring. The species is typically brown, but there are other black and olive brown members. Females have dark bands on their flanks running to the middle of the back.

Most males have a dark coloration on their undersides. They are generally much larger than the falcons that attack them. In , Saudi Arabia began a conservation program to save Houbara bustards.

Large protected areas were established. Female bustards are artificially inseminated and the chicks are hand-raised and then released. The goal is to reestablish a healthy population in the wild.

The main problems are preparing them to find food and escape predators. After they are 30 to 45 days old, Houbara bustards are released into a special predator-free enclosure where they learn to find food. Once they are ready they can simply fly out of the enclosure into the desert.

Many of the captively-raised birds have been killed by foxes. An effort has been made to trap the foxes and move them away but this did not decrease the death rate of the birds. Conservationists have more success with three-minute training sessions in which young caged bustards are exposed to a trained fox outside the cage.

These birds had a higher survival rate than non-trained birds. Nine species of snake are found in Mongolia. Body pale gray, olive, yellowish or dark brown; marked dark gray crossbands with light olive or pale yellowish intervals between. Belly gray to dark gray with indistinct darker spots. Tail short, its tip yellowish, dark brown or black.

Snout rounded, sometimes slightly upturned at tip. Habitat: Typically found in dry, rocky areas, from desert shrub to short grass or wooded steppes, coniferous forests, and in mountainous areas usually found at , m elevation.

Widely distributed at higher elevations in central and southwestern Asia and Iran. Activity and Behavior: Mainly terrestrial and nocturnal. During warmer months, emerges only after sunset. Reports vary as to aggressiveness. Some say it usually will not strike unless repeatedly disturbed or hurt; others say it will bite with only minor provocation.

Ovoviviparous Clutch size not reported , mainly prey on small mammals and birds. Venom Characteristics: Mainly hemotoxic with neurotoxic factors.

Envenomation usually causes sharp pain at site, followed by edema and necrosis. May develop blood-filled blisters at bite site. Heart rate and blood pressure usually increase. Human deaths are uncommon and usually due to respiratory problems. Description: Short, with fairly-stout body, a bit flattened dorso-ventrally, adults avg.

Body color varies by geographic location. Males usually smaller and lighter, gray with more vivid black zig-zag dorsal pattern; females usually larger and darker; usually light-brown with dark brown zig-zag dorsal pattern. Juveniles usually red-brown with darker dorsal zig-zag pattern. Found in diverse habitats, like rocky or bushy hillsides, open fields, woods, shady areas, moors, swamps, marshes, and bogs. In northern parts of range, found mainly near sea level; to nearly 3, m elevation in southern parts of range.

Most wide-spread species of viper in the world. Found in suitable habitats throughout most of Europe and Asia; from the Arctic Circle to below 40 degrees North latitude, and from 5 to degrees East longitude.

Activity and Behavior: Mainly diurnal in cold months; nocturnal in warm months. Cold-adapted in northern range, may crawl over melting snow in Spring. Basking behavior is complex. Mainly terrestrial, but climbs low bushes. Generally timid; not aggressive. Tends to freeze when danger present; but easily alarmed and bites if threatened or stepped on.

Usually congregates into groups "colonies" during annual hibernation in rocky dens during cold months. Mainly eats available small mammals and birds. Venom Characteristics: Mainly hemotoxic, with neurotoxic factors. Envenomation usually causes sharp pain or severe burning at bite site, followed by swelling and inflammation of lymph system.

Victim usually develops nausea, headaches, vomiting, chest pains and labored breathing. Humans are sometimes bitten, and fatalities have been reported, but are not common. Description: Smallest true viper found in Europe, adults fairly slender, usually centimeters long max. Body usually gray, yellowish, greenish, or light brown. Belly light or dark gray, maybe with yellow markings or small dark spots.

All-black specimens occur. Dorsal vertebral pattern usually dark, wavy, zig-zag line with black edges, sometimes discontinuous; flanks usually darker than middle of back, 19 midbody dorsal scale rows. Snout rounded, slightly upturned. Females larger than males.

Family: Viperidae. Habitat: Found mainly in dry plains, grasslands, flatlands with few trees or bushes, and montane grasslands; more common at higher elevations i. Also found on wooded hillsides in mountainous regions. Generally seeks open areas on limestone slopes, near dry clay or loamy soil found on some sandy islands in the Danube River delta. Often hides in rodent dens and small animal burrows. Activity and Behavior: Mainly diurnal, but may be nocturnal during hot summer months.

More active than most other vipers; can move rapidly. Due to their size and territorial nature, sandworms can be extremely dangerous even to Fremen. The worms are attracted to—and maddened by—the presence of Holtzman force fields used as personal defense shields, and as a result these force fields are of little use on Arrakis. Haemoglobin contains iron, which means most worm blood — including that of earthworms and leeches — is red. Low tide reveals lugworm castings in Looe, England, on April 20, For centuries, the only use humans found for the lugworm — dark pink, slimy and inedible — was on the end of a fish hook.

Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Ben Davis March 2, What kind of snakes live in the Gobi Desert?