Some new recent observations.
In this habitat of Lošinj, I saw last year a male Malpolon in courtship over a female Malpolon, but I had no possibility to take pictures.
This year, a few days ago, I heard a big snake in the garriga habitat, and when I rushed there I saw only a subadult female quatuorlineata staying motionless in an unusual position: with part of the body "relieved", in the way snakes usually do when they are tormented by intruders. The big snake I heard was obviously not the subadult quatuorlineata for at least 3 reasons: the quatuorlineata was totally motionless, it was too small and (main reason) I heard the big snake run very fast away from the female fourlined snake. And I think it ran "too" fast for being another quatuorlineata specimen...
I could not see what it was, but I think the most probable thing was an attempted predation of a big Malpolon over the smaller quatuorlineata.
Here is the female quatuorlineata
In an abandoned village in Lošinj
I could also see 3 gemo at the same time, two of which in probable courtship, but I had no time to take pictures of this situation
Central Cres, beautiful little female Malpolon captured while crossing the main road
Not far from the place where I found this specimen, I saw another female of about the same size, but this time freshly hit by a car and severely injured in the head/eye region. Unfortunately, not an unusual event on these roads.
A beautiful rather big female was seen only for a few seconds rolled up in woody area of Cres, on a sunny spot among trees, but it disappeared incredibly fast, producing a "rapid sound" which could be considered by laymen not typical for snakes, but which I already knew for H.viridiflavus, a species that can be as fast as the Malpolon.
These 2 Natrix were seen in a rather cold and rainy day in a small pool, in an otherwise very dry habitat in the central Cres. When I took the picture, I saw only one specimen, and I noticed the specimen on the left only after having taken the picture!
North of Cres: adult fourlined snake, with view of the woody habitat on the background
- This specimen was badly wounded in the tail region
Not very far from this place, a baby quatuorlineata was crossing the main road.
I saw and photographed other 3 adult quatuorlineata in the central area of Cres, one of which (a male) with a bright yellow belly. It was basking stretched at the edge of a main road.
Here it is
During cold and rainy days, in the north of Cres, I had the opportunity to see many snails.
An insect simulating death: I know this insect from Italy, but I didn't know its ability of simulating death.
P.muralis in the north of Cres
Testudo, always in the north
And a baby Telescopus found dead just outside a village
Habitat where Telescopus baby was found