Are There Snakes in the Netherlands?

The Netherlands is a great travel destination for tourists looking to enjoy the beautiful landscape of canals, tulip fields, windmills, and cycling routes. As you plan your journey, you might be wondering if there are snakes in the Netherlands.

The answer is yes, there are snakes in the Netherlands. There are both venomous and non-venomous snakes in the Netherlands.

In this article, we will learn about the different kinds of snakes in the Netherlands and where they can be found.

Table of Contents

Snakes in the Netherlands

1. The Viper

Scientific Name: Vipera berus

The Viper is also known as the Common European Adder. This is the only venomous snake in the Netherlands.

Although vipers are very venomous, chances of getting bitten by them are low, mainly because they are not aggressive and usually react only when provoked, stepped on, or picked up.

In the Netherlands, vipers can be found in habitats like rocky hillsides, moors, sandy heaths, meadows, edges of woods, forest clearings, bushy slopes and hedgerows, dumps, and coastal dunes.

A bite from a viper can cause intense pain, swelling, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and cardiovascular failure if left untreated.

In the Netherlands, the largest population of vipers can be found in Drenthe, Friesland, and the Veluwe. Other places where they can be seen include Overijssel, Gelderland, and Limburg.

How to Identify a Viper

An adult viper usually grows to 60 cm (24 in) in total length. They can have different varieties of colours, such as brown, red, or light grey.

Females can easily be distinguished from the males since they are usually brownish in hue with dark-brown markings, while the males are pure grey with black markings.

The main identifying factor for vipers is the zigzag pattern on their back.

2. Grass Snake

Scientific Name: Natrix natrix

Grass snakes are one of the most common snakes in the Netherlands. They are also known as the ringed snake or water snake.

These semi-aquatic snakes are non-venomous and harmless to humans. Due to their semi-aquatic nature, they are mostly found near water.

When a grass snake senses danger It releases a smelly substance in the direction of the danger in hopes that it will go away. If that move does not work, they pretend to be dead by flipping over and opening their mouth with their tongue hanging out.

Bites from grass snakes are extremely rare, even in areas with a high population.

Grass snakes are frequently seen in regions with major rivers like Ijsselmeer in North Holland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Overijssel, Drenthe, and Friesland.

How to identify a Grass Snake

They are usually olive green or brown with a yellow or whitish collar around their neck. Adults can grow up to 150 cm (59 inches) long. They are easily the longest snake in the Netherlands.

3. Smooth Snake

Scientific name: Coronella austriaca

Another snake that can be found in the Netherlands is the smooth snake. These snakes are not very common, and when they appear in public, they are well camouflaged amongst plants.

How to identify a smooth snake

Smooth snakes can easily be distinguished from other species by their appearance. They have a brown, grey, or reddish ground colour with two rows of dark spots running down their back towards the tail.

There is also a crown-like brown spot on the top of its head.

4. Barred Grass Snake

Scientific Name: Natrix helvetica

The barred grass snake is a non-venomous snake that is closely related to the grass snake. These snakes are also semi-aquatic, and their diet consists of mainly amphibians like common toads and common frogs.

This snake uses its keen sense of smell and sight to search for prey on the edges of the water.

Although barred grass snakes are harmless to humans, they have developed a unique defence mechanism for when they are disturbed. They can emit a nasty garlic odour from their body and also regurgitate what they have been eating.

The barred grass snake has a black barring along its flanks and a distinctive yellow and black collar around the neck.

Conclusion

So, are there snakes in the Netherlands? Yes, the Netherlands has four native snake species. They are the viper, also known as the Common European Adder, grass snake, smooth snake, and barred grass snake.

The viper, or the Common European Adder, is the only venomous snake in the Netherlands. Other snakes found in the Netherlands are non-venomous.

Aside from these four native snakes, the Russian rat snake can also be spotted in some places like Eelde in the Netherlands. Russian rat snakes are non-venomous snakes and are not native to the Netherlands.

FAQs

Are snakes common in the Netherlands?

Snakes are common throughout the Netherlands. Out of the four types of snake found in the Netherlands, only one, the viper, is venomous. The chances of getting bitten by a snake in the Netherlands are extremely low.

Are there any venomous animals in the Netherlands?

The only venomous snake in the Netherlands is the viper, also known as the Common European Adder.

Louis Ojibe

Hi, I’m Louis Ojibe, and I grew up around wildlife in Africa. I have always been fascinated by animals and nature across the world.
As a child, my parents used to take me to see wild animals like lions, elephants, gorillas, tortoises, and many others at our local zoo.