Zamenis longissimus
Silhouette: Beth Reinke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus, previously Elaphe longissima) is a species of non-venomous constrictor snake native to Europe, a member of the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. Growing up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) in length, it is among the largest European snakes, similar in size to the four-lined snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata) and the Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus). The Aesculapian snake has been of cultural and historical significance for its role in ancient Greek, Roman, and Illyrian mythology and derived symbolism.
Zamenis longissimus hatches at around 30 cm (11.8 in). Adults are usually from 110 cm (43.3 in) to 160 cm (63 in) in total length (tail included), but can grow to 200 cm (79 in), with the record size being 225 cm (7.38 ft). Expected body mass in adult Aesculapian snakes is from 350 to 890 g (0.77 to 1.96 lb). It is dark, long, slender, and typically bronzy in colour, with smooth scales that give it a metallic sheen.
Juveniles can easily be confused with juvenile grass snakes (Natrix natrix) and barred grass snakes (Natrix helvetica), because juvenile Aesculapians also have a yellow collar on the neck that may persist... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 2 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 5 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 6 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 7 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Łódź Zoo | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 2 | Tiergarten Straubing | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Zagreb Zoo | 🇭🇷 Croatia | |
| 4 | Cherkasy Zoo | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | |
| 5 | Alpenzoo Innsbruck | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 6 | zoo delle Maitine | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 7 | Reptiland | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 8 | Lake Tisza Ecocentre | 🇭🇺 Hungary |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report an Aesculapian Snake sighting in Mercantour National Park on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 7th most-seen of the 11 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report an Aesculapian Snake in Mercantour National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August–September and November–March, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Aesculapian 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.
3rd of 7
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Aesculapian Snake sightings, Mercantour National Park ranks 3rd at about 20%. The best odds are in Triglav National Park (Slovenia, about 40%) and Cévennes National Park (France, about 30%).
Same family: Colubridae
The closest relatives of the Aesculapian Snake that you can see in Mercantour National Park (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Green Whip Snake (about 30%), barred grass snake (about 20%) and Viperine Snake (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Aesculapian Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Mercantour National Park (10 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
