In German, the snake genus Coluber is known as “Zornnatter” because when these animals are held, they defend themselves vigorously and aggressively by biting. The green and yellow Zornnatter (Hierophis virdiflavus) can grow to 1.5 or even 2 metres in length.
Reptile expert Hubert Laufer has often been bitten by such a snake, as he has been tracking down Zornnattern in Germany for years. More than 300 specimens of the green and yellow Zornnatter have ended up in his cloth capture bag. “When you catch a Zornnatter, it tries to bite the person catching it. But if the snakes can flee, they do. If you leave them alone, they won’t do anything,” the expert tells Euronews.
