Snake rescued from discarded soda can off central Israel road
Jogger finds distressed reptile off side of Route 461; with snake catcher's help, it was transported to Ramat Gan Safari's Wildlife Hospital
Newsrael News Desk 13.04.2023
Ynet reports that a jogger on Saturday found a snake stuck inside a discarded soda can off the side of Route 461 in central Israel.
The jogger alerted a snake catcher who successfully rescued the serpent from the can. However, the catcher noticed that the Montpellier snake, one of the biggest species found in Israel, suffered a deep cut near its heart.
The catcher took the snake to the Wildlife Hospital at the Ramat Gan Safari where it received supportive care and antibiotics.
Dr. Nevo Schwarz and Dr. Elad Smith operated on the snake on Monday, stitching up the deep cut on the reptile's belly, which proved a difficult task due to its scaly skin. Fortunately, the operation was successful. However, due to the slow metabolism of reptiles, it will take a few weeks for the snake to recover before being released back into the wild.
According to the Nature and Parks Authority, mature individuals have a uniform brown color on their backs, and sometimes the nape of the neck and head have a rusty reddish color. Young individuals are dotted with dark and light spots on their backs. The head shields above their eyes protrude, forming an eyebrow-like structure, and their eyes are large with round pupils.
Source - Ynet/Twitter - Image - Ramat Gan Safari
The Montpellier snake, although venomous, is typically not considered dangerous to humans and can measure up to eight feet (2.55 meters) in length.
According to the Nature and Parks Authority, mature individuals have a uniform brown color on their backs, and sometimes the nape of the neck and head have a rusty reddish color. Young individuals are dotted with dark and light spots on their backs. The head shields above their eyes protrude, forming an eyebrow-like structure, and their eyes are large with round pupils.
Source - Ynet/Twitter - Image - Ramat Gan Safari
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