What to do if you see a snake?

Baku/24.05.21/Turan: A resident of the dacha, located between the villages of Mardakan and Gala, found a gurza snake. Children were at home, so he killed the snake and showed the photo on the social network, adding that he had killed several snakes this spring.

Turan asked the leading researcher of the Institute of Zoology of ANAS Tavakkul Iskenderov to explain the reason for the appearance of a large number of snakes in Absheron, and to say about the actions necessary to protect against a poisonous animal.

The expert believes that people exaggerate the danger of snakes. There are no more of them, these are people with the onset of the hot months and fleeing from the pandemic, they move to their dachas. In spring, closer to summer, snakes undergo a revitalization process after hibernation, animals interbreed, become more active and therefore come across to people more often. Hence the rumors about the incredible breeding of snakes. "Nothing unusual happened, the snake is gone. When you meet her, you should not kill, but call the specialists to come and take the snake to a safe place for her and the residents."

Iskenderov suggested calling his number 050 3389567.

The serpentologist answered common questions about hedgehogs and cats. Hedgehogs do not eat or hunt snakes. Snakes are afraid of needles on the body of hedgehogs, cannot sting them, and leave the area where hedgehogs live. Cats and dogs are sensitive to snakes and can attack them. However, having received a bite from a gurza, these animals die. Dogs are useful because barking informs owners of the appearance of a snake.

Iskenderov advises residents of regions where snakes live to learn to distinguish gurza from other crawling animals so as not to panic and not kill safe snakes and legless lizards.

"People cannot distinguish the only poisonous snake in Azerbaijan, the gurza, from safe amphibians, and therefore they kill all snakes in fear. It is enough to look at a few photos on the Internet to learn how to distinguish gurza from safe animals," he told Turan. — 0—