Amsterdam grass snakes

This video is called Britain in COLD BLOOD – The Grass Snake (Natrix natrix).

Translated from the Dutch RAVON herpetologists on 1 November 2012, about pro-grass snake measures in the north of Amsterdam:

Constructing a nesting heap is a simple but very effective grass snake conservation measure.

Grass snakes use such a heap to deposit their eggs. Depending on the mother’s size, around mid June forty eggs or less pro grass snake mother are deposited.

The high temperature inside the heap (which should be thirty degrees centigrade) will allow juvenile grass snakes to hatch about mid August. At birth, the babies are about 15-20 centimeter long. They already have the characteristic yellow rings around their necks.

The report says that about 90% of the eggs in the heaps hatch succesfully. This vulnerable species needs that; as near a city like Amsterdam it faces dangers like traffic, cats, dogs, and people who mistakenly think that grass snakes are dangerous.

See also here.

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