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Project Title: Partners: Project Start Year: Status: Species: IUCN Red List Status: National Red List Status (Croatia): Meadow Viper (Vipera ursinii macrops) Protection Project 

The project for the protection of the mountain yellow-bellied snake (Vipera ursinii) focuses on the research, monitoring, and conservation of this rare venomous species, which is extremely sensitive to environmental changes due to its high-altitude habitat and limited accessibility. Through research conducted at the Zagreb Zoo, the project provides detailed insights into the reproductive biology of the species, with particular emphasis on litter size and dietary habits of young individuals. This data is crucial for understanding the life cycle of the mountain yellow-bellied snake and serves as a foundation for developing future conservation strategies and creating a national monitoring program for the species’ conservation status in the wild.

As an important educational element arising from the project, an exhibition titled “Accept the Challenge – Get to Know Croatia’s Snakes” has been established, providing visitors with the opportunity to learn about their importance in the ecosystem and the significance of conservation efforts. Visitor education plays a key role in dispelling prejudices and raising public awareness about the importance of snakes as part of Croatia’s natural heritage. The exhibition makes a significant contribution to public awareness regarding the conservation of snakes, particularly the mountain yellow-bellied snake, ensuring a long-term educational impact.

The project involves collaboration with the Croatian Herpetological Society HYLA, the Croatian Biological Research Society (HDBI), and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, with support from Paklenica National Park. As part of this collaboration, in situ research has been conducted to collect data on the population density and distribution of the mountain yellow-bellied snake in natural habitats above 1,100 meters above sea level. All collected data have been used to develop a national program for monitoring the conservation status of the species, contributing to the sustainable conservation of the yellow-bellied snake in Croatia’s mountainous areas.

In 2012, around thirty individuals of both species were placed in the zoo, and several juveniles were released into their original habitats, along with about fifty juveniles hatched at the zoo. As part of the educational program, 5,000 informational brochures were distributed. The veterinary component of the project includes the study of the microbiota of the oral cavity, cloaca, and venom of snakes, aimed at the early identification of pathogenic bacteria that may complicate bite wounds. The project represents a joint effort of the Croatian Herpetological Society (HYLA), the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb, and the Biological Research Association (BIOM).

The project is planned as a two-year initiative (2012-2013), with the possibility of extension. The first publication of results obtained from the project is a poster titled “Venom and Intestinal Bacterial Flora from Venomous Snakes in Croatia,” which was presented at the WDA/EWDA congress “Convergence in Wildlife Health” in Lyon, France. The poster contains data obtained from samples taken from the oral cavity, cloaca, and venom in 2011. Given the number of pathogens identified in these analyses, plans are in place to sample a larger number of animals, and to perform detailed determination of microbiota using molecular techniques and assess the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolated bacteria.

The project contributes to raising public awareness about snakes as important, yet often overlooked animals, breaking down prejudices and emphasizing their significance to the ecosystem. Thanks to projects like this, the preservation and survival of the mountain yellow-bellied snake and its protection as part of Croatia’s natural and biological heritage are facilitated.

For more information on the Accept the Challenge – Get to Know Croatia’s Snakes exhibition, please visit [LINK]. Additional details about snake species in the city of Zagreb can be found at https://zoo.hr/zmije-zagreba/. To read insights from members of the Croatian Herpetological Society HYLA on the project, follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.502724043130954&type=3&_rdr. For information on Croatia’s national conservation programs for the mountain yellow-bellied snake (Vipera ursinii), see: https://www.haop.hr/sites/default/files/uploads/dokumenti/03_prirodne/monitoring_prog/FINAL%20Vipera%20ursinii%2010-15.pdf.

Summary:

The Meadow Viper (Vipera ursinii) Conservation Project focuses on researching and preserving this rare snake species by studying its reproductive biology and habitat needs. Zagreb Zoo contributed through research on juvenile development and launched an educational exhibition to inform visitors about the ecological importance of snakes. These efforts support the long-term monitoring and conservation of this endangered species in Croatia’s high mountain regions.