Vipera aspis is widespread in the Alps and the Apennines; its favourite range is made up of warm, dry places; it has a mild temperament and usually flees if disturbed.
The viper, like any other living being, needs a certain amount of water to drink, however small, so we are unlikely to find it in areas that are too arid. We usually find it near streams, pools of water and hollows in the rock where small amounts of water can collect constantly.
Above all, what not to do...
Of the more than 3000 known species of snake, only 300 are venomous, and they belong to 4 families and one subfamily:
- the Elapidae family;
- the Colubridae family;
- the Hydrophidae family;
- the Viperidae family;
- the Crotalidae subfamily.
The species present in Europe and in Italy all belong to the Viperidae family.
The range (the territory in which a given species lives and breeds naturally) of vipers is made up of meadows, hilly areas and woods, extending up to the limit of the high-altitude grasslands. We shouldn't forget that the viper is a cold-blooded animal, so we are unlikely to find it during the cold seasons; it tends to overwinter in hibernation, alone or in groups depending on the species. Some species, while not travelling long distances, tend to migrate to lower altitudes during the winter season.
A first interesting observation for the hiker is that we may find it on boulder fields, piles of stones or heaps of grass in the morning hours, at sunrise, because, being a cold-blooded animal, it will seek out the first rays of the sun to warm up. It's precisely at that moment that the viper, being slower in its movements, will feel more in danger and, rather than escaping, will tend to defend itself with the fateful bite.
The viper, like any other living being, needs a certain amount of water to drink, however small, so we are unlikely to find it in areas that are too arid. We usually find it near streams, pools of water and hollows in the rock where small amounts of water can collect constantly.
Vipers commonly found in Italy
The vipers commonly found in Italy are: Vipera aspis, widespread in the Alps and the Apennines; its favourite range is made up of warm, dry places; it has a mild temperament and usually flees if disturbed.
Vipera berus, or common adder (marasso palustre), found in the mountains, is fairly aggressive.
Vipera ammodytes, or horned viper, is found almost only in the north-east of the country (Eastern Alps), preferring a habitat of arid areas, slopes and boulder fields. It is not very aggressive, but its venom is the most dangerous.
Vipera ursinii is found in the mountain groups of the central Apennines, the Monti Sibillini, the Gran Sasso massif, etc...
A viper bite is lethal only in rare cases, such as children, the elderly or adults in poor health. The venom injected by vipers is the most evolved and toxic of those of all snakes. Injecting antivenom can cause anaphylactic shock, which is why its use is usually advised against; besides, since 2003 it is no longer available in pharmacies but only in hospitals.
Preventing viper bites
1) Wear boots or thick wool socks: the smaller vipers will hardly manage to bite effectively, and in any case the bite won't contain an excessive dose of venom.
2) Walk with a steady, heavy step, beating the grass and stones with a stick: vipers have poorly developed hearing, they are more sensitive to movement.
3) Don't instinctively pick up everything from the ground: before picking anything, stir the grass and stones with a stick to drive away any possible threat.
3) Carefully inspect the spot where you want to sit down.
4) Don't lean on tree trunks covered in leaves, on haystacks or on bundles of firewood.
5) Don't put your hands under rocks or stones or into cracks in the ground.
6) Pay the utmost attention when you drink at a spring and when you walk across a boulder field.
A snake bite can cause laboured breathing, increased salivation, abdominal pain, nausea or even vomiting, visual disturbances, dizziness. After a few minutes significant swelling appears around the bite.
But what should you do if someone is bitten?
1) Calm the victim down, without giving weight to exaggerations about the possibility of death or permanent damage. The dangers are very few, but the anxiety caused by the bite is certainly harmful.
2) Locally the venom acts fairly quickly, so wait calmly to see whether any swelling develops; if it doesn't, it is possible that no venom was injected.
3) If there is swelling and oedema, keep the bitten part as still as possible and lower than the heart.
4) Call for medical help by ringing 118 or, for those in the mountains, the local Mountain Rescue.
5) Don't cut the bitten area, don't suck it, don't press hard to squeeze out the venom.
6) Lightly disinfect and bandage the bite, and immobilise the limb as if it were a fracture. This is so as not to send the venom into circulation.
7) Remember to apply a band that isn't too tight above the bite, so as not to slow down the return of blood to the rest of the body too much. A tourniquet that is too tight would cause a sudden, more dangerous return of blood.
Among the small hazards of meadows there are also ticks: read how to protect yourself from tick bites.
Before you set off, check that you have a complete first aid kit with you.