Vipera aspis francisciredi

Asp viper
Berna convention, ann. 3

The asp viper is the only poisonous snake that lives in the resurgences area.
It is generally brick red color - gray with short black cross bars,but this livery may be very different among individuals.
The pupil of the eye is elliptical vertical, characteristic of all snakes.
It reaches, and sometimes exceeds, 60 cm; it feeds mainly on small mammals, but also lizards and frogs. The asp viper lives where there are areas exposed to the sun and covered by vegetation. It hibernates from November to March and is playing in April. The eggs develop inside the mother's body and the end of summer come from 5 to 15 small self-sufficient already.
The viper contains in its venom glands from 8 to 20 mg of venom. To kill a mouse, an average of 1 mg is enough.
It is not able to adjust the amount of venom injected, so every bite the amount injected is the same for a mouse to a man. Typically inject 10% of the content in the venom glands, doses that are not lethal to humans.
The viper flees at the first signs of human presence and never attacks unless it is harassed. The vipers numb from the cold or just out of hibernation, however, can not move,so do not run away even before a serious threat as it may be the proximity of a person.
The Viper, like all reptiles, is a species protected by the Regional Law 9 / 2007 as a species of regional interest. It is therefore prohibited the capture and killing.
It is widespread in Central and Western Europe and its latest Eastern stations are located in Friuli. The subspecies francisciredi is typical of central and north-east Italy.
It has disappeared from most of the Po-venetian plain because of environmental changes. It survives in a few areas around lagoons, in some lowland forests and in the lowlands resurgences of Friuli.