Eastern Montpellier Snake

The Eastern Montpellier snake is a large colubrid closely related to the western Montpellier snake, and until relatively recently the two were considered a single species. It is one of the biggest snakes in its range and is well known for its dramatic threat display.

It is a rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous) species with mildly venomous saliva used mainly to subdue prey. Bites to humans are uncommon and generally not medically significant, though the species should still be treated with respect due to its size and defensive posturing.

• Large, robust body with a long, tapering tail
• Ground color olive, gray, or brownish, often with faint darker speckling
• Distinctive large, protruding eyes with round pupils and pronounced brow ridges giving a somewhat fierce expression
• When threatened, it flattens its neck and raises the front of its body in a cobra-like display
• Adults can exceed 1.5 m and occasionally approach 2 m

Found in open scrubland, rocky hillsides, grassland, and agricultural edges from the Balkans through Turkey, the Caucasus, and into the Levant and parts of the Middle East, generally at low to moderate elevations.

Diurnal and highly alert, relying on speed and its dramatic hooding display to deter predators and threats. It is an active hunter of lizards, small mammals, and other snakes, using mild venom delivered through rear fangs to help subdue prey. Reproduction is oviparous, with females laying moderate clutches of eggs in summer.