Closer inspection revealed the snake was not a deadly new species, but instead a rather unusually colored adder (Vipera berus), Estonia's only venomous snake and also known as the Common European Viper.

The peculiarity of the find lay in the absence of the characteristic zigzag back pattern typically found on adders, which led experts initially to question whether it was indeed that species or instead a harmless grass snake (Natrix natrix).

In Estonian, the names of both species are quite close too – Rästik (adder) versus Nastik (grass snake).

According to the Estonian Museum of Natural History (Loodusmuuseum), other features rather than coloration had to be examined, in order to correctly identify the snake.

As to its color, Anete Altrov, a teacher at the museum, told AK: "This is a melanistic viper, meaning its coloration is with a black pigment, and the characteristic zigzag is not visible."

"So how do we know it's a viper? There are other, much more important features that helped us identify it. For example, its pupil shape is oval, unlike the round pupils which grass snakes have," Altrov continued.

The phenomenon is not a new one either, she said. "Black, pigmented adders like these were first described in literature in 1771."

 That the species was found in Ida-Viru County was no coincidence either, Altrov went on.

"There is a phenomenon known as industrial melanism, meaning that in industrial areas such as Ida-Viru County, various organisms, including butterflies or even snakes, may develop darker pigmentation," the expert explained.

Peeter Põldsam, owner of the Pärnu Mini Zoo and also a snake expert, said that people needn't be misled by an adder's zigzag pattern not being visible.

"The adder has a highly variable coloration. In Europe, there are more than 10 species within the same genus as ours," Põldsam said.

"This is just a slightly different color variation of the viper. Generally speaking, male vipers are usually light gray with a black zigzag. This light gray can range towards blue, while females can display various brownish shades, from brown to yellow or red," he went on.

The original AK segment is here.

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