Cyprus Mail - article by Bejay Browne 5 November 2018
It’s very thin and just 11 centimetres long, but long-time snake enthusiast hopes it might be a new species
By Bejay Browne
A Paphos-based Austrian snake and reptile expert has found a rare type of dwarf snake that could even be a totally new species.
Hans-Jorg Wiedl, ‘Snake George’, 75, is well known in the field of herpetology and has a string of triumphs to his name including rediscovering the Cyprus grass snake, which was believed extinct, and proving that the blunt nosed viper lays eggs and doesn’t give birth to live young as had previously been thought.
He told the Sunday Mail that after the third sighting, he believes the black headed dwarf snake to be an endemic sub species of the Rhynchocalamus Melanocephalus, or perhaps even a totally new find.
The tiny, thin, non-venomous snake was found around a month ago by a British couple in a stone wall in their garden in Peyia. They contacted the herpetologist through his daughter, Demetra, as he was abroad.
“We were very lucky, I have had to wait five years to see this snake again and it’s thanks to them. They saw it three or four times but were not able to catch it, because it’s so fine and delicate, you can’t just take hold of it as you don’t want to hurt it,” said Wiedl.
He has thoroughly researched the tiny snake and discovered that a similar one is endemic to the East Mediterranean and has been found in Turkey, Syria and Israel.
“I checked and looked to see if the markings and the colour are the same and recognised that it is similar to the one from Israel.”
But what excites Wiedl is that there are some small differences, such as the colour of the body and markings on the head. So could it be a new species?
There need to be three sightings of a snake alive to be able to prove its existence, a single example is not evidence. To prove that this is a new species, DNA identification, research, findings and examples of the snake must be identified and then it can be registered as a new species in Cyprus.
“I am very excited, this could be a completely new snake or sub species,” he said. “We need DNA samples which unfortunately I cannot do and I hope that they can be taken and that Cyprus will get in touch with the university in Israel to see if they have some examples to compare DNA.”
What’s needed is a scientist to come forward to further research the snake.
“There are so many questions that need to be answered, how did it come to be here? The snake is so tiny that this could be a reason why it wasn’t found. It mainly lives in small cracks in rocks as it is safer for them, not even a mouse can get inside,” he said.
Wiedl is stumped as to how the dwarf snake, measuring about 11cms had ended up in Cyprus, as he believes that it is practically impossible that the creature was transported to Cyprus in someone’s luggage or by other means as she was so young.
Five years ago, he discovered the first tiny snake after he was contacted by a British resident in the Paphos district, who had examined a book on snakes in Cyprus that Snake George had written and hadn’t been able to identify the creature.
The second one was found by a British tourist last year, who sent photos to the local media and wrote that he found it in the Paphos district. But he released it after taking the photographs, so Wiedl was unable to view it himself.
The third snake was found around one month ago and was looked after by Demetra until her father could return from Austria.
“I have no idea how old it is, but it’s growing bigger.”
Wiedl is also keen to establish a new snake and reptile park in Paphos. He previously operated a successful venture in Peyia for many years, which saw thousands of locals and tourists visit each year.
In recent years he has mentored a young man, Andreas, to take on the snake mantle and has passed on to him his vast knowledge. The young man then went on to study in Greece.
But the men’s hopes to open a new snake park were dashed recently when the ministry of agriculture refused permission for the young Cypriot to start a Paphos park, stating instead that there are plans to build an amphibian park in Neo Chorio.
His supporters are hoping the new snake, at least, will be named after Wiedl.
“I am very excited about this latest discovery, this is my life,” he said.
Snake George: 99 987685
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