Natrix tessellata
Silhouette: Danny S. · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The dice snake (Natrix tessellata) or water snake is a Eurasian nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae, subfamily Natricinae. Its average length is 1.0–1.3 m (39–51 in). Body color may vary from greyish green to brownish or almost black, with dark spots on the back. The belly is sometimes vividly coloured in yellow or orange, with black spots, very similar to dice, hence the name.
Living mainly near rivers, streams and lakes, it frequently feeds on fish. Sometimes, it feeds also on amphibians such as frogs, toads, and tadpoles. In one instance, a dice snake was even observed trying to feed on an olm (Proteus anguinus) that had been flushed from a cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina following heavy rains. However, the snake was far too small to be able to consume the olm.
While considered nonvenomous, N. tessellata produces a potent antihemorrhagin in its serum. As a defence, it spreads a very bad-smelling secretion from its cloaca. Another defence mechanism is thanatosis, playing dead. During the mating season (March–May), they congregate in large groups. Egg-laying is usually in July, and one clutch consists of 10–30 eggs. The young snakes hatch in early September. Dice... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plitvice Lakes National Park | 🇭🇷 Croatia | |
| 2 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prague Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 2 | Wilhelma | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Augsburg Zoo | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Tiergarten Straubing | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 5 | Zagreb Zoo | 🇭🇷 Croatia | |
| 6 | Alpenzoo Innsbruck | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 7 | Tierpark Herborn | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 8 | Rákosův pavilon | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 9 | Velemlokárium | 🇨🇿 Czechia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tessellated Water Snake sighting in Prague on a given day, based on 127 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 9 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April–May and July–September
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Tessellated Water Snake in Prague on a given day, against under 5% in December to March, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tessellated Water Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
5th of 11
Of the 11 cities where we can rate Tessellated Water Snake sightings, Prague ranks 5th at about 10%. The best odds are in Antalya (Turkey, about 30%), Sofia (Bulgaria, about 20%) and Bucharest (Romania, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Tessellated Water Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Prague (127 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
