Wildlife of Britain

The Smooth Snake of Britain: A Secretive Native Specialist The Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca) is one of Britain’s rarest and most elusive reptiles.  Unlike the more familiar grass snake or adder, this species is secretive, small, and highly specialized — surviving in only a handful of locations in southern England.  For many wildlife enthusiasts, spotting one in the wild can be a lifetime achievement. A True British Native The Smooth Snake is native to Britain but exists here at the very edge of its European range.  While it is found across much of mainland Europe, in Britain it is restricted almost entirely to lowland heathland in: • Dorset • Hampshire • A small area of Surrey Its limited distribution makes it one of the UK’s most vulnerable reptiles. How to Identify a Smooth Snake Despite its name, all British snakes are relatively smooth-scaled. However, the Smooth Snake has several distinctive features: Length : Typically 60–70 cm (rarely over 80 cm) Colour : Grey...