While a meeting with a horned viper is unsettling enough, is there another type of snake living in the mountains above the Makarska Riviera?
''It's almost half way through October and instead of snakes already being firmly in their underground habitats, they're still very active in nature because it's very warm for them,'' said Buljubašić.
As Vecernji list writes on the 13th of October, 2018, if you decide to go to Biokovo this autumn, make sure to exercise appropriate caution and be more careful because a large number of snakes are still very much active on the mountain despite the cooler weather that usually makes them withdraw and seek shelter.
"As I'm on Biokovo almost every day, and the weather is very nice and warm, I meet many other mountain lovers as they walk and hike, and I have to warn them of something that shocked me," said Ivica Buljubašić from Zagvozd, Makarska, for Slobodna Dalmacija.
"I know that the weather is changing, that it's not like it used to be, and so the animals are adjusting to that weather. You see, it's almost half way through October and instead of snakes already being firmly in their underground habitats, they're still very active in nature because it's very warm for them,'' added Buljubašić, who has spent a lot of time on Biokovo and is very well acquainted with its nature.
"There are a lot of [horned] vipers, because I've seen them personally, mostly in the bushes, in low plants, but also in the trees. But what a young couple told me a couple of days ago, and then sent me a photo as proof, is a new type of snake. It has all the external features of a [horned] viper, except for the well known horn on the head, but it's quite a bit bigger, definitely a big longer than 1 metre and 15 centimeters.
By studying the literature, I came to understand that such a species lives on a Greek island. Nevertheless, I'd prefer to submit that for examination by professionals. Believe me, I've been met with these snakes at a height of more than 1600 meters, which is also an unusual occurrence,'' Buljubašić concluded for Slobodna Dalmacija.
Bear in mind that horned vipers, like most other snakes, have no desire for human contact and will do their best to avoid you at all costs. Bites from these snakes are rare and typically occur when the animal is taken by surprise, frightened, or otherwise irritated. If you come into contact with a horned viper, give him or her a wide berth and don't cause a disturbance.
If you do happen to be bitten by a horned viper, seek medical attention immediately.
