No poison and good fame in many places! This is how the manufacturing snake has arrived at pharmacies around the world. It is a snake that appears in the well-known symbol of drugs. The Greeks gave him the reputation of helping the doctor Asklepio heal a patient and thus became part of the emblem. But in addition to the pharmacies of Euskal Herria, the manufacturing snake is also found in the native forests. Not as a symbol, but as a reptile of flesh and bone. And that's because this snake loves mostly forests. Go through the shadows of light between the trees, warming the body in the sunset areas and hiding between vegetation and stones.

It feeds on mice, rats and, in general, small mammals, but it also looks for nesting birds. That's why he's also known for a thin climber. In the vegetation and in the trees it has been seen rising behind the chicks, which will have a good snack, as a snake of such size needs to maintain its body.

In addition to the forest, it is frequent to find it around ancient meadows and walls. It can therefore be said that this is a well-adapted species in different habitats. Although it is difficult to know its state of conservation, it seems to be quite abundant in the Atlantic Basque Country. Each year there are often citations of several specimens, either by the mountaineers’ observations, or unfortunately, by being caught on the road. In fact, by the month of May, coinciding with the breeding season of this snake, its most active activity begins, in which most observations are made. More research is needed to better understand the snake of manufacturing. What is more, given that this is a species protected at European level.

Differences between adults and young people are often noticeable, leading to confusion among some people. The young snake of Eskulapio tends to be somewhat clearer than the adult snake, with more obvious points, especially at the back of the neck, which sometimes leads to confusion with the young snake fat, in the eyes of an expert.

In spite of everything, the baserritarras who know the serpent, young or mature, of the workforce, have left it alive in its surroundings. Because what better than having a good watchman who eats small mammals in the area?

Again, the key is knowledge. Efforts should be made to disseminate and identify snakes, both for the conservation of these legless reptiles and for the benefit of biodiversity. We started to respect them when we started to meet them and, of course, to enjoy the excitement of the moment it generates to see a snake.