Safety warning – watch out for snakes in Santorini!
This will be just a quick update about an important topic that you guys should be aware of.
In recent years zoologist have released poisoned snakes in Santorini to keep our nature intact. These snakes are enjoying the warm climate here and have spread quite a lot.
This particular snake is called Ochia, and it’s pretty widespread in Greece. Their activity period is around Spring, so you should definitely be more careful when going on some hikes around the island. Their color is very much like the grass and branches so keep your eyes open. They are not aggressive, but they like to hide under some rocks or come out in the heat of the morning sun on hiking paths where there’s less grass.
If you’re unlucky to get bitten by any snake in Santorini, first thing you do is try to remember the details about its appearance (or even take a photo if possible) and then visit the local veterinarian or hospital for an antidote. These snakes are not deadly but they sure can cause some pretty heavy discomfort, so please do that in at least 3 hours to be on the safe side.
Photos by Anna Sulte