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Cyprus could be in trouble with the European Union over what has been classed as inadequate protection of the Cypriot grass snake.
According to reports in Politis newspaper, the European Commission has warned Cyprus that it has not followed EU Directives regarding the protection of the Natrix natrix cypriaca species, classed as an endemic subspecies.
Cypriot authorities have repeatedly ignored calls to declare the Paralimni Lake, rumoured to be the only place where the Grass Snake is found on the island, as a designated Protected Habitat area, while the northern side of the area surrounding the lake has been subject to considerable development in the last few years.
The Paralimni Lake is a large seasonal lake but the area near Sotira where the grass snake has been known to reside has not been developed yet.
While the Fisheries Department has still expressed its hope that the endemic subspecies, known as ‘water snake’ in Greek, can still be found at the Xyliatou Dam, it has not been sighted at the area for some time.
Latest figures estimate the remaining number at 50, however it has recently been feared that they have been reduced by half in the last two years.
In a recent article from the leader of the Green Party George Perdikis, he claims that a major reason for such a dramatic fall in the numbers of the Grass Snake, that is the Cyprus Grass Snake is the rarest and most endangered of Cyprus’s eight snakes, has been the appearance of a specific type of fish. “Based on information that I gathered, it appears that the reason for this striking drop in numbers can be attributed to the introduction of the fish called the wide-mouthed bass. The Manager of the Fisheries Department has confirmed to me that the authorities did not approve the introduction of this species of fish,” he wrote.
The wide-mouthed bass had no natural predators in the Xyliatou Dam, while they feed on the small grass snakes as well as frogs, which make up an important part of the diet of the snake.
According to Perdikis, there were a number of suggestions put forward in order to monitor the situation before it got out of hand, none of which were approved by the government.
“A German herpetologist proposed the removal of all dangerous fish from the dam and also suggested stricter control of the site and the introduction of more frogs for the snake to feed on. The authorities were not satisfied however, and asked for other alternatives,” he added.
According to a Cypriot herpetologist that has monitored the situation in the past, human influence in the case of Paralimni has been more important than any other factor.
“Definitely both factors have been influential in bringing about this situation. In the case of the fish that preys on the young snakes, to determine how important of a factor it is there needs to be an investigation, something that has not been possible,” he said.
“However, what is more important in the Paralimni case is all the development in the area, the motor cross games in the area that have definitely affected this species in addition to the rubbish and everything else that is just dumped in the area.”
An expert biologist who talked to the Cyprus Mail was much more outspoken in his view of the overall situation.
“There was a meeting some time ago of the Scientific Committee responsible for Natura 2000 matters that was established because of the EU Habitats Directive regarding the designation of the site as a protected area. Even maps were drawn out and everything was in place. But due to pressures from developers and other people with influence in the area, nothing ever came of this,” the Biologist who wished to remain unnamed said.
Austrian herpetologist Hans-Jorg Wiedl, the man who re-discovered the natrix natrix cypriaca species in the Xyliatou dam in 1992, this had been long coming.
“I must say I am not surprised at all. From the beggining I gave warnings but nobody was willing to listen. I had warned them on so many occasions that they would lose them from the Xyliatou dam’’, he said.
The 63-year-old Austrian, who has been living on the island since 1986, said that things had to change if the species would be preserved in Paralimni.
“They have given me so many promises that the lake will be cleaned from the rubbish, that it would be turned into a protected area but nothing has happened. People still dump their rubbish, hunters still go to the area and these moto cross games still take place. Even the former Agriculture Minister saw me and promised me that they would save the Grass Snake but I am not confident,’’ he added.
Wiedl explained the importance in preserving the reptile.
“I am extremely concerned, personally I will do anything I can to save this magnificent reptile. It is by far the most beautiful grass snake in the whole of Europe, people must understand this,’’ he said. | 
