Milos Viper

Macrovipera schweizeri
( image )

The Milos viper has been endangered for 14 years, but practically nothing has been done to protect it or its habitat. However, the causes of its decline are well known, and proposals for conservation measures have been made. The Milos viper occurs only on the islands of Milos, Kimolos, Polyaigos, and Siphnos in the western Cyclades, Greece. Milos, the largest island with an area of 100 square miles (160 sq. km), has the biggest viper population, but suitable habitat has been deteriorating for more than 15 years. The viper’s preferred habitat is rocky hillsides with small trees and bushes interspersed with open areas. Much of Kimolos is used for agriculture; it is arid and has little suitable habitat. Polyaigos contains some good areas of habitat since it is not disturbed by people. Siphnos is also used for agriculture. Its viper population has not yet been fully surveyed. Adult Milos vipers feed mainly on birds, and their young feed on lizards; both avoid areas of dense vegetation, as do their prey. The islands are staging posts for many migratory birds in spring and fall, and some stay there to breed. The vipers are frequent visitors to the watercourses where the birds gather to drink. Although mainly a terrestrial species, the viper is often seen in bushes sheltering from the sun and waiting to ambush birds. Its activity patterns are dictated by the weather. In hot weather it is active mainly at night; in cooler weather it is active during the day. Winter is spent in hibernation, but on mild days the vipers come out to bask. One unusual feature of the Milos viper is that it lays eggs; other European vipers are livebearers (give birth to live young). Female vipers lay eggs only every other year; breeding may not take place at all if the spring has been cold and they have not fed well. In captivity clutches of up to 10 eggs have been recorded. Eggs and young are eaten by predators such as rats and feral (wild) cats or destroyed by human activity. The cats also kill adult vipers.

Statistics:
Milos viper (Cyclades blunt-nosed viper)
Macrovipera schweizeri

• Family: Viperidae
• World population: About 4,300
• Distribution: Western Cyclades islands, Greece
• Diet: Birds and lizards
• Habitat: Mostly rocky areas with open spaces between bushes
• Size: Length: 30 in (75 cm)
• Form: Heavy-bodied snake; 2 hollow fangs on short maxilla (upper jaw); red-brown blotches on lighter background
• Breeding: Between 8 and 10 eggs laid every other year
• Related endangered species: Several species of viper in Europe and Asia, including Latifi’s viper (Vipera latifi) VU of Iran and mountain viper (V albizona) EN of Turkey

Balancing Act

Milos has a population of fewer than 5,000 people concentrated mostly in the eastern corner of the island. The vipers live on the sparsely populated, more mountainous west. Other islands have fewer people. The current viper population on Milos is estimated at 2,500; Polyaigos and Kimolos each have between 600 and 900. This may sound a lot, but unless they can maintain a balance between births and deaths, they will become extinct. Habitat destruction has been ongoing on Milos for several years. Quarrying for minerals and cement production has laid waste much of the suitable viper habitat in the west. The mineral industry on Milos is vital to the national economy, and expansion of the business is planned. Traffic supports the industry, and road kills are becoming more common, particularly at night in summer. Wildlife was not moved before the quarrying began, and spoiled areas have not been restored. Natural restoration takes several years, even if the new growth is not grazed; overgrazing by sheep and goats is an additional problem in some areas. Until recently Milos has not been badly affected by tourism, but now tourist numbers have increased, and a second airport is planned. House building and land clearance for agriculture are also changing the viper’s habitat. Tourism may prove a mixed blessing, possibly slowing down industrial expansion, but it might also destroy more habitat and increase disturbance. Vipers found near tourist areas might be deliberately eradicated so that they do not deter visitors. Recent surveys have found that vipers have been deliberately killed. Until 1977 trappers could claim 10 drachmas (then about 15 U.S. cents) from the authorities for each viper caught, but in 1981 a presidential decree on wildlife protection outlawed the collection or killing of all wildlife. A cause of decline had been collection by hobbyists and by people intending to sell the vipers. Substantial numbers were taken in the 1980s, but collecting has been reduced in recent years. In 1985 creation of a biogenetic reserve was recommended after a report by the Societas Europaea Herpetologica (SEH). Another report by the SEH in 1986 proposed greater control of quarrying, the employment of game wardens, and education programs to inform the public and so protect the species. A survey between 1993 and 1997 examined the viper’s ecology, population, and threats to its habitat. Recommendations were made, but no action taken. Since then the need for conservation has been pressed at annual meetings, but to no effect. The government seems reluctant to aid the conservation of endangered species. Most of the areas considered for conservation are of archaeological importance and do not contain any viper habitats. However, habitat protection is vital for the future of the Milos viper.

[tags]viper, snake, animal, milos[/tags]

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