From a landfill in Germany’s West Palatinate, the green-yellow western whip snake is spreading. Reptile expert Hubert Laufer has already caught over 300 of this invasive species and tells Euronews why he is still hunting them.
In German, snakes of the genus Coluber are called "Zornnatter" because, when they are held, these animals defend themselves fiercely and aggressively by biting and constricting. The green-yellow Zornnatter (Coluber viridiflavus) can grow to 1.5 or even 2 metres in length.
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Reptile expert Hubert Laufer has often been bitten by such a snake, as he has been tracking Zornnattern in Germany for years. More than 300 specimens of the green-yellow Zornnatter have ended up in his cloth catch bag. "When you catch a Zornnatter, it will try to bite the person capturing it. But if the snakes can escape, they do. If you leave them alone, they do not do anything," the expert tells Euronews.
"Imagine you reach into a blackberry bush and end up with lots of small scratches on your skin. That is roughly what a Zornnatter bite feels like," he explained in a report by public broadcaster SWR. The snakes are therefore not truly dangerous for humans.
Many animal welfare activists see the presence of Zornnattern as a sign of an intact natural environment. The reptiles are mostly black with a delicate yellow-green pattern – their well-camouflaged scales make them almost invisible in grass and vegetation.
Artenschutz Franken, an organisation dedicated to preserving biodiversity in Germany, reports with photos (source in German) that Zornnattern are often run over by cars on roads and calls for these snakes to be protected.
Why are green-yellow Zornnattern a problem in Germany?
Landscape ecologist Laufer, who captures green-yellow Zornnattern at a rubbish dump in Zweibrücken – about 40 kilometres from Saarbrücken – is also an amphibian conservationist. "There are hardly any lizards left on the landfill site. If there is nothing else, they eat mice or young rats. But lizards are their favourite prey," says Hubert Laufer.
And he explains: "The Zornnattern are invasive and have negative impacts on the native fauna in Germany. That is why we want to intercept the Zornnattern as quickly as possible."
Coluber viridiflavus are actually found in southern France and Italy. In Germany these snakes are an invasive species that threaten native animals and thus endanger biodiversity – similar to how the poisonous pufferfish in the Mediterranean displace other fish species.
On the landfill site in Zweibrücken, the Zornnattern particularly like to hide under roofing felt, as it warms up quickly underneath and these animals from southern Europe love higher temperatures.
Expert Laufer assumes that the snakes arrived at the dump in 2017 with household waste that was disposed of there. "There must have been a pregnant animal among it. They reproduced." By now there are apparently several hundred green-yellow Zornnattern on the landfill site and in the adjacent area.
Call for observations: please report Zornnattern sightings with a photo
The Umwelt- und Servicebetrieb Zweibrücken (UBZ), which is responsible for the Mörsbach landfill site, is calling on everyone who believes they have seen a Zornnatter in the region to report it, as is the snake hunter.
As reptile conservationist Laufer tells Euronews, the best way is to send him a mobile phone photo of the snake. This year there have already been around 25 reports. "But not all of them are Zornnattern. Other native species have also been reported. We would prefer to receive records of grass snakes as well rather than have a Zornnatter go unreported."
Laufer passes the snakes he catches on to people who can keep the animals in suitable conditions and ensure they do not devour lizards and other reptiles.
In recognition of his commitment, the BUND Baden-Württemberg awarded Hubert Laufer the Gerhard Thielcke Nature Conservation Prize in 2025.
If you believe you have seen a Zornnatter in Germany, the UBZ Zweibrücken and amphibian conservationist Hubert Laufer are calling on you to get in touch. The UBZ has an online reporting portal (source in German). The expert would ideally like to be informed with a photo by email at laufer@bfl-laufer.de, by phone on 0175 9983307 or via WhatsApp.
