THE LEOPARD SNAKE
Fact File |
| Length: Up to 116cm |
| Colour: Yellowish with brown/red spots on back |
| Range: S.Italy, Sicily, Malta, S.Balkans, Crete |
| Food: Mainly mice, rats and shrews - occasionally reptiles and birds. |
Said by many to be the most handsome of all the European snakes, the leopard snake (elaphe situla) is fairly common in Crete.
It is normally active in the daytime and may be found near or even inside buildings as well as in dry, rocky areas or occasionally beside streams or marshes.
Unfortunately, many Cretans believe this to be a member of the viper family and kill it on sight. In fact, of course, it is completely harmless as far as we are concerned - although it will often bite to defend itself if disturbed.