Snake Found in Athens Schoolyard Causes Brief Panic

08:39 11/4/2025 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

A large non-venomous snake caused a stir at a high school in the Patissia district of Athens on Thursday, leading to an emergency response and a temporary disruption of school activities.

The Wildlife Protection and Rehabilitation Association ANIMA said on Facebook

that it retrieved the snake, identified as an Elaphe quatuorlineata, commonly known as the four-lined snake.

The group reported that the animal had a serious skin wound but is expected to recover.

“A four-lined snake was found in the courtyard of a general high school in Patissia. We collected it for its safety.

It has a serious injury on its skin but it will be fine,” the association said.

The four-lined snake is the largest snake species in Greece and is harmless to humans.

While its size—typically around 150 centimeters and occasionally exceeding 2 meters—can be intimidating, experts stress that it poses no threat unless handled aggressively.

The snake is native to southern Europe and is commonly found from Croatia to the Greek mainland. It hunts primarily on the ground but is also skilled at climbing trees and swimming.

Its diet includes small mammals, such as rats and rabbits, as well as birds, lizards, amphibians, and eggs.

Adult four-lined snakes typically have a yellowish-brown or black coloring with four distinctive black stripes running from the neck to the tail.

Juveniles are gray-silver with dark spots along the back.

Though docile by nature, the snake may bite defensively if provoked.

Wildlife groups consistently urge the public to avoid harming such species, emphasizing their important role in controlling rodent populations.

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