Tessellated Water Snake
Natrix tessellata
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusNatrix
- SpeciesNatrix tessellata (Tessellated Water Snake)
About the Tessellated Water Snake
The dice snake (Natrix tessellata) or water snake is a Eurasian nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae, subfamily Natricinae. Its average length is 1.0–1.3 m (39–51 in). Body color may vary from greyish green to brownish or almost black, with dark spots on the back. The belly is sometimes vividly coloured in yellow or orange, with black spots, very similar to dice, hence the name.
Living mainly near rivers, streams and lakes, it frequently feeds on fish. Sometimes, it feeds also on amphibians such as frogs, toads, and tadpoles. In one instance, a dice snake was even observed trying to feed on an olm (Proteus anguinus) that had been flushed from a cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina following heavy rains. However, the snake was far too small to be able to consume the olm.
While considered nonvenomous, N. tessellata produces a potent antihemorrhagin in its serum. As a defence, it spreads a very bad-smelling secretion from its cloaca. Another defence mechanism is thanatosis, playing dead. During the mating season (March–May), they congregate in large groups. Egg-laying is usually in July, and one clutch consists of 10–30 eggs. The young snakes hatch in early September. Dice... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Plitvice Lakes National Park
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plitvice Lakes National Park | 🇭🇷 Croatia | |
| 2 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 3 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Tatra National Park | 🇸🇰 Slovakia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Tessellated Water Snake in Plitvice Lakes National Park?
About 90% of wildlife watchers report a Tessellated Water Snake sighting in Plitvice Lakes National Park, based on 125 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Tessellated Water Snake in Plitvice Lakes National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Tessellated Water Snake in Plitvice Lakes National Park in our monthly data.