DICE SNAKE - ENVIRONMENT
News: This snake gets all bloody and
smelly and fakes its own death to save itself from predators
What's in the news?
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A recent study has revealed that dice snakes have
the remarkable ability to simulate their own death when confronted by
predators, employing a dramatic display that involves the expulsion of "mouthfuls" of blood.
Dice Snake:
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The Dice Snake, also known as a water snake, is a non-venomous species belonging to the family Colubridae and the
subfamily Natricinae.
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It exhibits distinctive characteristics and
behaviors that make it unique within its habitat.
Physical
Characteristics:
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Females of the Dice Snake species typically exhibit larger
body sizes compared to males.
Distribution and
Habitat:
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Dice Snakes are primarily distributed across much
of Eurasia, with populations also
present in Egypt.
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Their preferred habitats include areas near rivers,
lakes, streams, ponds, and adjacent grasslands. Additionally, they can be found
in coastal regions, plantations, and urban areas.
Unique Behavioral
Traits:
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One notable behavior of the Dice Snake is its ability to feign death when threatened by
predators. This tactic serves as a distraction, enabling the snake to evade
predation.
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The effectiveness of this behavior depends on
various factors such as the individual's sex, injuries, body temperature, size,
age, presence of food in the stomach, presence of eggs in females, and previous
encounters with predators.
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When feeling threatened, Dice Snakes can emit a foul-smelling secretion from their
cloaca or simulate death to deter predators.
Threats:
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Despite being a non-venomous species, Dice Snakes
face several threats to their survival, including habitat loss due to wetland
destruction, pollution, roadkill incidents, persecution by humans, and
collection for the pet trade.
Conservation Status:
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IUCN Red List - Least Concern