Snake Slough from Ogden

Snakes are very much a declining group of animals in the UK, and it would be very exciting if we could prove we have a small relict population in Calderdale.

This piece of a slough is going off to Matt Wilson at Manchester University to hopefully be identified.
Unfortunately it hasn't got the head part.

There have been a few reports of adder bites on dogs above the Lodge at Ogden, where this was found by J. Ball on 20.7.13

Also there was a Courier report a few years back of a gardener being bitten on his leg somewhere in the Ogden area. He was wearing shorts while strimming long grass! He needed slight hospital treatment.

Regrettably, there has also been a series of sightings of exotic snakes near here; obviously unwanted pets set free. Poisonous snakes are not often kept as pets.

If anyone is not familiar with the way snakes grow and shed their skin - they often manage it one go, starting with fraying around their mouth, then peeling the outer, semi-transparent layer off, which ends up inside out ; often tangled among twiggy plants.

I have a near perfect four-foot long one from the South of France ( pulled in two by the kids!)

Please all look out for sloughs and show them to us and Matt.

A complete adder slough apparently still shows some of the colour and you can make out the zig-zag markings they usually have.

Also please spread the word that snakes need friends, and are worth conserving. This slough and my bigger one will be available to handle at the indoor meeting on Tuesday 13th at 7.00pm at the Central Library. (See above the blog.)