Snakes are facing extinction as temperatures rise due to climate change
Snakes are facing extinction as temperatures rise due to climate change with some species losing 90 per cent of their habitat, a study has warned. Global warming makes it harder for snakes to maintain their optimum body temperature, changes their habitats and can reduce food availability. The Greek Meadow Viper, in particular, will see 90 per cent of its mountain-top habitat become uninhabitable by the end of the century. Scroll down for video 'I think the extinction of this particular mountain species would just be the tip of the iceberg,' said paper author Edvard Mizsei of the Centre for Ecological Research in Hungary. 'We will have to work hard to keep the ecosystems functioning and reduce biodiversity loss.' One small venomous snake Vipera graeca is already among the most endangered reptiles in Europe. Native to the spine of Greece the Pindos mountain range, the coldest and highest in the region the snakes have adapted to their chilly environment. This makes them particularly sensitive to climate change. 'There are at least three significant direct and indirect effects of climate change, not only for the viper,' Dr Mizsei explained. 'First, changes in temperature directly influence the choices of reptiles to keep their body temperatures in the optimal range.' 'Changes in climate affect the whole community, and may lead to poor habitat conditions or food availability.' 'Third, the increasing use and pressure by humans leading to habitat destruction and fragmentation.' Rising temperatures have already made the mountaintops too hot for the snakes to 'feed and breed' between the hours of 10am and 4pm during the summer. The Mediterranean basin where the mountains are located is also expected to receive increasingly less rainfall over the coming decades. This will serve to deplete the snakes food sources, which include bush-crickets and grasshoppers. 'The synergistic effects of these and other factors are already measurable and increasing with time,' said Dr Mizsei. Shepherds view snakes as pests, as they occasionally bite and kill sheep. The team hope that their findings will help to drive conservation efforts that focus on habitat quality including those that reduce disturbances, educate local people and ensure that animal populations the continue to be monitored. 'A more sustainable grassland management system, applying extensive sheep grazing instead of cattle, could significantly enhance habitat quality,' said Dr Mizsei. 'Currently, most of the key sites for the survival of the species are heavily overgrazed.' The full findings of the study were published in the journal .