A slim Mediterranean colubrid with a sharply pointed snout, racing through dry scrub and stone walls at remarkable speed.
Description
The Dahl’s whip snake is a slender pale tan colubrid reaching about 1.3 m, with a distinctly pointed snout, large eyes, and a series of small dark crescent-shaped marks just behind the head that fade quickly along the body. Adults are nearly uniform tan with a paler belly.
Behavior
A fast, alert diurnal hunter, this whip snake races across rocky hillsides chasing lizards, which form most of its diet. It bites and grips prey rather than constricting, and is harmless to humans. When cornered it strikes vigorously and may flatten the body to look larger.
Range
Found across the eastern Mediterranean and Balkans east through the Caucasus to Iran and Central Asia. It is locally common in habitats with abundant cover from broken stone and dry stone walls.
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