First slippery snakes spotted with professor Richard Shine as witness
The University of Antwerp has Professor Richard Shine visiting. He is an Australian evolutionary biologist and ecologist at Macquarie University who does extensive research on reptiles and amphibians in different parts of the world. During his visit to the Grenspark, he was keen to observe the smooth snake(Coronella austriaca): a non-poisonous snake and one of the three species of snakes found in the Netherlands and Belgium, alongside the viper and the grass snake. The smooth snake has a fairly uniform brown to greyish-brown colour, smooth scales, yellow eyes and a round pupil. The smooth snake awakens from hibernation around April. With the discovery of two subadult smooth snakes, Dr Shine's visit was a great success.
Photo: Dr Richard Shine with smooth snake in Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide
In both Flanders and the Netherlands, the smooth snake is a protected species. In Flanders there is the "species protection plan gladde slang" and in the Netherlands the "protection plan for the smooth snake in North Brabant". Since 1998, the smooth snake has been monitored in Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide. Several volunteers go out frequently in search of the presence of smooth snakes in the area. Sightings are recorded in a database. In 2013, a comprehensive report on the smooth snake in the Grenspark was published. A transmitter survey was carried out in 2016-2017 and since 2018 monitoring has been carried out using the plate method. According to research (Van Hecke, A. and Bonte, C., 2013) , the largest population of smooth snakes in Flanders occurs in Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide.
On Wednesday 9 April, area and snake experts guided Dr Richard Shine in the Grenspark. There was no guarantee of seeing a smooth snake, especially as it was still early in the season. Besides, volunteers had not observed any smooth snakes this year either. It was therefore a big surprise that, under the first plate that was lifted, 2 subadult smooth snakes of less than 15cm in length emerged. Subadults are observed only sporadically, especially at the beginning of the season. Dr Richard Shine was very elated with the find. Observing a slippery snake in the wild is no easy feat. While he studied the small snakes, volunteers took measurements. Then the snakes were carefully returned. Snakes should only be held and examined by authorised people.