Wildlife· Milos· Greece — Cyclades
Milos Viper (West Milos Natura 2000)
36° 41.4′ N · 24° 21.6′ E · approximate
The Milos viper (Macrovipera schweizeri) lives only on Milos, Kimolos, Polyaigos and Sifnos, and is listed as endangered. Most of uninhabited western Milos, where it lives, is a Natura 2000 site.
Practical
Wikipedia: average length 50–70 cm, maximum about 98 cm; IUCN endangered with fewer than 4,000 adults (2022); strictly protected under the Berne Convention (Appendix II); threats include feral cats, persecution, collecting and habitat loss. Local health centres report about four bites a year on Milos and one on Kimolos, with no recorded deaths; adults hunt birds and climb trees on autumn nights. Ashore, wear closed shoes on hikes through scrub, watch where you put hands on walls and rocks, and leave any snake alone: killing or collecting it is illegal. Wikipedia (Milos): almost all of the uninhabited west is a Natura 2000 site with over 800 plant taxa, 35 endemic to Greece. For a bite, go to the Milos Health Centre (see that entry). Pin is the middle of western Milos (approx).
Best for
Knowing what you might meet on a hike ashore