Common Adder (Vipera berus)

Common adders, or common vipers, are familiar snakes across the Eurasian continent and are the only native venomous snake in a handful of European countries. They can achieve such a wide range and even the title of “most Northern dwelling snake” because they are quite cold adapted and can hibernate for up to 9 months in frigid regions like Sweden. They exist in a number of color and pattern morphs including brown, gray, and the melanistic “Hell adders”. These morphs vary in abundance depending on location. Like other vipers it uses its venomous fangs to paralyze small prey and swallow it while. Despite possessing venom, they are quite shy and docile snakes that usually only bite larger animals like humans, pigs, and cows when provoked.