2014 – With the support of Croatian Herpetological Society “Hyla” 2015, 2016 – Rufford Foundation
Research on the meadow viper (Vipera ursinii macrops), the smallest venomous snake in Europe, began in 2014 with the support of the Croatian Herpetological Society “Hyla.” The initial efforts to determine the species’ distribution involved surveying its potential habitats on the mountains of Orjen, Lovćen, and Rumija. Further research, supported by the Rufford Foundation in 2015 and 2016, was carried out in the central and northern mountains of Montenegro, including Golija, Njegoš, Brotnjik, Komovi, Sinjavina, and Prokletije.
In the region, detailed scientific research on this viper has been ongoing for over a decade. The meadow viper is one of the most endangered reptile species in Europe, and the macrops subspecies is endemic to the Balkans.
Across Europe, considerable efforts are being made to protect the meadow viper and its habitats from various threats that are causing local population declines. These threats are increasingly present, and in Montenegro, the most significant include frequent wildfires, which local firefighting services are often unable to control due to lack of equipment, poor organization, limited personnel, and inadequate road infrastructure. The meadow viper’s habitat is also disappearing due to natural overgrowth, a consequence of the decline or complete absence of traditional livestock grazing that once maintained open and spacious mountain pastures. The construction of new roads also contributes to habitat fragmentation and gradual loss.
Our research confirmed the presence of meadow vipers on Mount Lovćen and defined the area they inhabit. Additionally, the species was recorded for the first time on Sinjavina and the Prokletije mountains.
The meadow viper is protected in every European country except Montenegro. The aim of our research was to determine the current distribution of the species and to identify key locations where it still exists. This is an essential step toward creating an action plan for the conservation of the species, alongside a management plan for high-altitude mountain pastures—its only known habitat. These pastures are also home to many other endemic species, making Montenegro one of the most remarkable biodiversity hotspots in Europe.
