European adder (Vipera berus)

Viper is the most extended snake species in Slovenian and European mountains. It is mostly seen on damp and hot days on clearings, forest edges, dwarf pines and mountain paths on start of alpine seasons (between 1000 and 2000 metres height above sea level). Viper which has dark zig-zag stripes on a gray or brown color is long about 80cm and is poisonous. Viper which has no stripes and is all black is appearing frequently. Viper which is partly red and partly brown is rarely appearing. It is about 90cm long. It was noticed between mountain pasture Suha and Vogel ski slope. It is mating in autumn. Male viper whelps about 18 young ones. It eats small mammals, reptiles and small birds.

Viper always tries ti withdraw from human and it will if we don't surprise it, step on it or come with our hand in it's nearness. It bites in defence. If it bites us we must not be panic. Bite is not deadly on adult person (more deadly is on small children). In all likelihood it will bite us in our leg or our arm. In this case we slightly bandage a place above the bite. We slow down a blood flow. We must then immediately go to doctor. If we are far away from our car we call 112 and wait till helicopter comes. If the weather is bad and helicopter is unable to reach us we slowly go to valley. Doctor can takes us for most of 2days for observation. Pain of the bite dissappears after one month.