Rare white adder with normal eyes found in Bashkiria

In a nature reserve in Bashkortostan (Bashkiria, Russia), staff discovered a unique snake that crawled up to them. It had settled its nest on the territory of the utility buildings of the Shulgan-Tash State Nature Reserve. But the most interesting thing is that this was not an ordinary viper, but a genuine specimen with an extremely rare coloration.

«Our zoologist Ildus Nurmukhametov says this is a common viper, but with an effect of incomplete albinism. It has light skin, almost white, but its eyes are not red, as in classical albinos, but normal. That makes it even more unique,» the reserve shared.

The coloration of the common viper can vary widely — from light gray to brown, with a zigzag along the back and an X-shaped pattern on the head, they noted.

It turns out that in nature only these types of vipers are found: black (melanistic) — almost entirely dark; light gray or sand-colored — perfectly blending with the surroundings; reddish or brick-colored — characteristic of certain regions; almost white (albinos) — a true rarity.

Incidentally, the same reserve employee encountered a blue viper in May.

We have already compiled a selection of snakes that can be found in the forests of Bashkiria.