Mario Schweiger wrote:I'm sure, Natrix tessellata doesnt have a native distribution on the island. All spotted specimens
(beside this one there is only one documented finding [M. Franzen]) are likely transported to Krk
(conscious or by chance).
Therefore, the chance to find one of these occasional finds years later again is like zero.
Regarding the find(s) of M. Franzen at the pond Miholjice (between Malinska and Njivice, by the road), he's not the only
one who has found them there, at that time (quite long ago). Ivo Peranić told me about one of his acquaintencies who
also found them there, in the same pond, roughly at the same time. But that's a closed story, nothing more found there
ever since... much as we tried.
However, if those "old" finds are to be ascribed to an alleged reptile dealer getting rid of his "surplus" of "Balkan stuff"
on the island of Krk, who's releasing them now, decades later? Why should anyone?
Regarding the (car-)ferry line Crikvenica-Šilo, as a potential "suspect", take into account that it ceased its service at
least two decades ago... Only small taxi-boats remained, and I doubt a snake could use them to inconspicuously reach
the island...
You see, I dont like to write - it was a fake - here, although the specimen remembered me very well to those occuring
around lake Vrana in N-Dalmatia
Anything else to add to this quite intrigueing "
en passant" comment? I suppose "remembered" was meant to mean
"reminded" (forgive me the "nitpicking", everybody, PLEASE...), but we all got the gist of the message, so...?