smooth snake in Poland

Hi

A few pics od smooth snake, made in south east Poland. This species is very rare in our country, we don't know well its distribution in Poland and some of its states become destroyed before somebody discoveres them.
Smooth and aesculapian snake (I don't have its photographs, but I have seen it in nature) are in danger of extinction in Poland. This second speciec lives only in south Poland and we have only about 100 individuals of zamenis, so it is critical situation.

Thony you are talking about markings from the back of the head?

Yes this is male. Can you write somenthing about sexual dimorphism in colouration and pattern in this species?
We have law that protect smooth snakes and their habitats, but it doesn't work. People are killing snakes and destroying their habitats and nobody cares it. We have only few herpetologist who are doing something to save this species. There are only 2 conservation programmes in some parts of country and it is to small. One of the problem are snake hunters, that are searching for snakes, catching and selling them (illegal of course). How to stop them? Noone of these hunters were seen during this proceder, so how to prove that he or she should be punished for breaking law? Some our populations of aesculapin snake almost extinct because of illegal hunting.
Habitat of snake from photo is rocky place, very warm and dry, not a lot flora, I can write something more if you need, see this pics of this specimen habitat:


In Poland smooth snakes lives in lowlands, rocky places like this, dry meadows and forest edges, pine forest and other habitats, usually habitat of this species is warm and dry.

What part of Poland will you be visited? Invite to Bieszczady mountains in south east Poland, a lot adders and grass snakes live here, and maybe some aesculapian snake

HI STANISLAW GLAD TO SEE YOUR SMOOTH SNAKE PICS ARE THEY FROM HEATHER CLAD HEATHS ? WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS  HERE WITH THE PUBLICS IGNORANCE TOWARDS SNAKES AND NATURAL HABITAT KEITH 

Edited by AGILIS

The supposed last smooth snake in Devon was killed in a place not disimilar from the habitat in Stanislaw's photo - rocky cliffs/undercliff vegetation. This was near Branscombe on the coast. I am going back a long long time but maybe it shows heaths have become the last stand habitats for a lot of snakes whereas once they perhaps were in other places.

That juvenile looks like it has a grass snakes collar .. interesting!