Concern about the Californian chain snake: Invasive snake is spreading in Germany
Created: 2023-01-02 05:00
By: Patrick Mayer
It can also have two heads: a Californian chain snake at a reptile exhibition in Switzerland in 2018. (Archive photo) © Laurent Gillieron/KEYSTONE/dpa
In Germany, a snake species is discovered that actually comes from the USA.
Researchers warn that the adder has been sighted in two cities in Baden-Württemberg.
Munich – The Lampropeltis californiae is considered a skilled hunter.
The term stands for the California chain snake, a snake species that is usually native to the far western United States (California and Oregon) and northwestern Mexico.
Californian chain snake: New snake species discovered in Baden-Württemberg
But: Now the Californian chain snake, which can grow up to one and a half meters tall, has apparently also arrived in Germany.
Because: As the
German Press Agency (dpa)
reports, two specimens of the snake were recently sighted near Offenburg in southern Baden and near Freiburg im Breisgau.
Natter alarm in Baden-Württemberg?
As a non-native species, the Californian chain snake could at least endanger the stocks of the green lizard on the Kaiserstuhl and the sand lizard, explained Hubert Laufer from the Association for Amphibian and Reptile Biotope Protection Baden-Württemberg (ABS for short), according to the report.
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Because: The California chain snake hunts other reptiles such as lizards, small mammals such as mice and sometimes birds.
With this property, they have almost wiped out the reptile species originally native to the Spanish Canary Island of Gran Canaria, writes the
dpa
.
California chain snake: snake dangerous for native reptile species?
And: According to Laufer, this adder also takes on other snakes in order to eat them.
The authorities of the European Union (EU) have already registered that they can be dangerous to native species - and have issued bans.
For example, the Californian chain snake is banned from being traded and bred throughout the EU.
It has been on the so-called Union list of invasive species since the beginning of August.
A species is invasive when it spreads and thereby endangers the biological diversity of other local animal and plant species, writes the
Südwestpresse (SWP)
.
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According to the German Society for Herpetology and Terrarium Science (DGHT), the snake is considered a "beginner snake" for hobby breeders and is therefore easy to keep.
In any case, it is completely harmless to humans.
The DGHT therefore finds the ban superfluous.
California chain snake: EU authorities are monitoring its spread
But: As the
dpa
further reports, since 1960 invasive species have caused losses in agriculture and forestry as well as in infrastructure or through the burden on health systems of at least 976 billion euros.
Apparently, the authorities in this country are also paying close attention to the development and spread of the Californian chain snake.
(pm)
