Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is exactly the right Hungarian name of this animal?

Lajos Méhely, the famous zoologist of the turn of the century, while describing this species scientifically in 1893, gave the name of “rákosi vipera” (viper of Rákos), because, as he wrote: “it can be found in numbers at Rákos” (inside today’s Budapest, nearby Zugló). Certainly this snake had lived there for thousand years, but earlier specimens were considered as common adder, although local people called them sand snake, making a distinction between the two species. This name probably came from the location where people and snake the most often met, on sandy steppe meadows, fallow lands and nearby small farms. Then during the 1950′s, when Mátyás Rákosi ruled the autocratic system, by being the head of the Hungarian Workers Party, the snake have been renamed for “parlagi vipera” (fallow viper), of course by creating scientific explanations for the ‘required’ change, hiding the political background. The Director of the Nature Museum at that time claimed “…those who insist on the name rákosi vipera, carry out and fix a scientific mistake”. Later he wrote; “In Austria it is called Wiesenotter (meadow viper) as well.” Someone could reply that meadow and fallow is not equal, so the author cites a source from 1801, claiming that locals on certain places in the distribution of this species had called them fallow vipers. Dr. Olivér György Dely, author of Reptiles part of Animal Kingdom of Hungary (Magyarország állatvilága, Hüllõk) calls it fallow or rákos meadow viper (“rákosréti vipera”). After the changes we got back to the name rákosi vipera, accepting the will of its describer. We think we can pay as much respect to the great ancestors by accepting their wills.

Is there a chance to meet up with a meadow viper during a daily routine?

The short answer would be that probably no. Recently this species does not occur in the vicinity of humans. Some 30-50, or 100 years ago, inhabitants of Kiskunság farms could meet, sometimes in numbers, meadow vipers close to their barns, under hay-bales brought from meadows, or in the clamp, where vipers retrieved from freezes of winter. As Lajos Méhely wrote, it was plenty in the parks of the Emperor’s Castle in Laxenburg, or it wasn’t rare around meadows of Rákos-mezõ, and nearby gardens. It is part of the past. Today meadow viper occurs on small grasslands, under protection of nature conservation, meaning that visiting requires a permit. In case we somehow get there, it is very unlikely to meet one. The reason is that on a certain place very few vipers occur, and they are very timid. Although snakes are deaf, they can feel tremors of the soil from a distance, and they flee quickly by moving under grass or into a rodent’s burrow. Today those who try to study this unique species work harder to see one specimen and the importance of each observation is very high.

Is its biting dangerous?

In a short answer we would say that biting of Hungarian meadow viper does not pose a great risk on a healthy adult person, meaning that we don’t have to fear of death or incurable damage. It is important to mention that during the last 112 years, since the description of the species, there was no fatality reported. It can be explained by several factors, of which the most important is the generally shy attitude of the species which turns to aggressive behaviour only as a last resort. Further this fact, the fangs of the species are rather small and the venom is also inefficient. Although this is a venomous snake, and it is proven that biting can cure without any consequences, we cannot underestimate a case of biting by any Hungarian meadow viper. The symptoms can depend on several factors. Efficiency and amount of the venom which is dependent on the size of the animal’s fang, the place of the biting, and physical and psychical condition can affect symptoms and its dynamics. So in case of being bitten by a Hungarian meadow viper, we should still see a doctor, who will prescribe a stronger dote of Calcium and the use of antiserum will be kept for major cases, when Calcium is not enough. Because persons with allergy any biting of animal including a snake can cause severe problems, the trained medical support is a justified precaution.

Why should we pay so much for a snake? Would someone miss it?

In a theoretical answer we can get to a point where we have to accept that humans characterize animals by using personal sympathy, and in this order snakes are well in the negative side for thousand years. Although these animals are part of the natural world (as predator or prey they affect the numbers of other species) and in this way their survival is inevitable, as the lack of their presence would mean the breaking or pushing of the equilibrium of ecological system, which can even cause catastrophe-like consequences. On the other side we can find a more anthropogenic approach, when we try to point out that certain chemicals gained from Hungarian meadow viper can mean solutions for the battle against some future diseases. Some practical clues to answer this question are the following ones. First, Hungarian meadow viper is protected by Hungarian law, by heaving the highest theoretical conservation value of 1 million HUF. Several international treaties handle this species as marked, to which the joining of Hungary have meant the indirect statement to take every effort to preserve the species. Moreover while selection of Natura 2000 sites, Hungarian meadow viper is a marker species, meaning that all economic interest must convey to the preservation of this species. Finally this is the only vertebrate species in our fauna that only occurs in Hungary, and no other part of the World. We should be a bit more proud of this little Hungaricum.

I see a lot of snakes in my garden. Is it meadow viper?

Hungarian meadow viper remained only in Hanság and on the plains between Danube and Tisza, exactly in Kiskunság, occurring only on a few locations. The remaining populations can be found in the vicinity of Dabas-Gyón, Tatárszentgyörgy, Kunpeszér and Bugac, on patches of grassland, farther from human settlements. During the last decades the species has disappeared from Pest, Gödöllõ, Fót, Ócsa, Sári, Mántelek, Örkény and Felsõbabád, while during the last 112 years we have no further data on occurrences from other spots of the plains between Danube and Tisza. Therefore we can say that it is very unlikely that someone can meet Hungarian meadow viper in his/her garden. We have some other snakes, which can look like viper for someone without proper knowledge. From these the most viper-like is the smooth snake. The main difference between serpents and vipers is that vipers are shorter and wider, serpents are longer and thinner Hungarian meadow viper grow no longer than 60cm, while Aesculapian snake can reach 140, water snake 120 cm, and smooth snake 70-80 cm. So in case you see a snake longer than 50-55 cm it can surely be claimed not a meadow viper. Another important difference is the shape of the pupils, which is always round at serpents and vipers have vertical ones. In this table we summarized those characters that can help in the identification of the spotted snake species. It is very important to underline that all amphibian and reptile occurring in Hungary is protected under Hungarian law, so independently of the species of the snake we must leave them in peace.