Samegrelo — Zemo Svaneti — regional landscape

Region

Reptiles of Samegrelo — Zemo Svaneti

Samegrelo — Zemo Svaneti stretches from the Colchis lowlands to high Svaneti. Humid forests, river valleys, and alpine belts meet in one region — so fauna shifts with elevation.

Colchis · Svaneti28 species2 venomous

Range

Samegrelo — Zemo Svaneti on the map of Georgia

Geography

Habitats

From the Colchis lowlands to high Svaneti — humid forests, river valleys, and alpine zones.

Colchis lowlands01
River valleys02
High Svaneti03

Species

Snakes and reptiles in Samegrelo — Zemo Svaneti

28 species

Caucasus viper (Vipera kaznakovi) western Georgia

Vipera kaznakovi

Caucasus viper

western Georgia

Dinnik's viper (Vipera dinniki) Greater Caucasus

Vipera dinniki

Dinnik's viper

Greater Caucasus

Dice snake (Natrix tessellata) Georgia — near water

Natrix tessellata

Dice snake

Georgia — near water

Grass snake (Natrix natrix) Georgia — throughout, most numerous in the humid west

Natrix natrix

Grass snake

Georgia — throughout, most numerous in the humid west

Colchis Slow Worm (Anguis colchica) Georgia

Anguis colchica

Colchis Slow Worm

Georgia

Eastern Treefrog (Hyla orientalis) most of Georgia

Hyla orientalis

Eastern Treefrog

most of Georgia

Caucasian Brown Frog (Rana macrocnemis) Forest and mountain waters

Rana macrocnemis

Caucasian Brown Frog

Forest and mountain waters

Marsh Frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) near water throughout Georgia

Pelophylax ridibundus

Marsh Frog

near water throughout Georgia

Green Toad (Bufotes viridis) Georgia — open country

Bufotes viridis

Green Toad

Georgia — open country

Caucasian Toad (Bufo verrucosissimus) humid forest

Bufo verrucosissimus

Caucasian Toad

humid forest

Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) Georgia — widespread

Coronella austriaca

Smooth snake

Georgia — widespread

Aesculapian Snake (Zamenis longissimus) western Georgia — humid zone

Zamenis longissimus

Aesculapian Snake

western Georgia — humid zone

European Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis) Western and eastern Georgia

Emys orbicularis

European Pond Turtle

Western and eastern Georgia

Lebanon Lizard (Phoenicolacerta laevis) Anaklia — introduced

Phoenicolacerta laevis

Lebanon Lizard

Anaklia — introduced

Brauner's Rock Lizard (Darevskia brauneri) Western and central Greater Caucasus — Mestia (Manshura), Martvili, Ertso Lake

Darevskia brauneri

Brauner's Rock Lizard

Western and central Greater Caucasus — Mestia (Manshura), Martvili, Ertso Lake

Mixed Rock Lizard (Darevskia mixta) Western Georgia (not Adjara) — Sairme, Tchkhorotskhu, Baniskhevi

Darevskia mixta

Mixed Rock Lizard

Western Georgia (not Adjara) — Sairme, Tchkhorotskhu, Baniskhevi

Derjugin's Lizard (Darevskia derjugini) Western Georgia and the forest belt of eastern Georgia

Darevskia derjugini

Derjugin's Lizard

Western Georgia and the forest belt of eastern Georgia

Obscure Rock Lizard (Darevskia obscura) Upper Mtkvari, Trialeti, Meskheti, Javakheti, Enguri — Akhaltsikhe, Rveli/Baniskhevi, Akhalkalaki

Darevskia obscura

Obscure Rock Lizard

Upper Mtkvari, Trialeti, Meskheti, Javakheti, Enguri — Akhaltsikhe, Rveli/Baniskhevi, Akhalkalaki

Northern Banded Newt (Ommatotriton ophryticus) mountain forest, subalpine, western coast

Ommatotriton ophryticus

Northern Banded Newt

mountain forest, subalpine, western coast

Caucasian Smooth Newt (Lissotriton lantzi) forest ponds and lakes

Lissotriton lantzi

Caucasian Smooth Newt

forest ponds and lakes

Eastern Crested Newt (Triturus karelinii) forest ponds and lakes

Triturus karelinii

Eastern Crested Newt

forest ponds and lakes

Caucasian Parsley Frog (Pelodytes caucasicus) humid Caucasian forest

Pelodytes caucasicus

Caucasian Parsley Frog

humid Caucasian forest

Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) Western Georgia; east above 600–800 m

Lacerta agilis

Sand Lizard

Western Georgia; east above 600–800 m

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Year-round resident, migrant and winter visitor in Georgia

Anas platyrhynchos

Mallard

Year-round resident, migrant and winter visitor in Georgia

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) Passage migrant and winter visitor in Georgia

Larus fuscus

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Passage migrant and winter visitor in Georgia

Common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Year-round resident in Georgia

Phasianus colchicus

Common pheasant

Year-round resident in Georgia

Western barn owl (Tyto alba) Year-round resident in Georgia

Tyto alba

Western barn owl

Year-round resident in Georgia

Wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi) Western and eastern lowlands

Argiope bruennichi

Wasp spider

Western and eastern lowlands

Region lists show only named records. Many species are still unmapped to an administrative unit until a source confirms them. Empty municipality pages are not built.

Safety

Venomous snakes in Samegrelo — Zemo Svaneti

Only moderate or high-risk species. Keep distance and open the full profile for identification.

Caucasus viper (Vipera kaznakovi) western Georgia

Vipera kaznakovi

Caucasus viper

Risk to humansModerate risk

Dinnik's viper (Vipera dinniki) Greater Caucasus

Vipera dinniki

Dinnik's viper

Risk to humansModerate risk

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Short answers about species recorded in Samegrelo — Zemo Svaneti.

In humid lowlands, Caucasian viper, grass snake and dice snake, smooth snake, and glass lizard are more typical. In high Zemo Svaneti, Dinnik’s viper occurs.

Nearby

News

Related news

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According to Guchmanidze’s 17-year record, this is the highest figure of the past decade. The agency has not named a cause for the strandings at this stage.
Read the article