Good News : Land is available for Cyprus Reptile Project

An exclusive article by John Mason who is the editor of the Cyprus Reptiles web site. Since Snake George had to close his Reptile Park in Ayios Georgios, Peyia, a number of landowners have either offered land or made commercial proposals to George for re-establishment of his reptile park or for a captive breeding site for [...]

847 Signatures Now on Petition to save the Cyprus Grass Snake

The petition says: “Snake George is desperately worried about the high risk that the endemic Cyprus Grass Snake will become extinct and realises that the Republic of Cyprus is simply not taking the necessary action to give it a real chance of survival.” Snake George, whose name is Hans-George Wiedl is a conservationist whose speciality [...]

Why the Cyprus Grass Snake is NOT Red Listed?

Why is the Cyprus Grass Snake NOT Red Listed? What is the Red List and why is it important? The European Red List is a review of the conservation status of c. 6,000 European species (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fishes, butterflies, dragonflies, and selected groups of beetles, molluscs, and vascular plants) according to IUCN regional [...]

MEP Richard Howitt Questions EU Commission on Cyprus Grass Snake

Cyprus Reptiles is pleased to announce that the Labour MEP, Richard Howitt, has stated that he shares our concerns about the Cyprus Grass Snake. Richard says in his letter ; ” I share your concerns over the extinction on this endangered species and I have written to Mr Papoulias. I will contact you again when [...]

DISY Supports Campaign to Save The Cyprus Grass Snake

Mr. Averof  Neophytou, Deputy President of DISY has supported the campaign to save the Cyprus Grass Snake and has written to  the Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment raising the issues of the possible extinction of the Cyprus Grass Snake and to assign Snake George the captive breeding project. Snake George and The [...]

UKIP and Lib Dems act to help Save The Cyprus Grass Snake

MEP’s from the UK, representing UKIP and the Liberal Democrats, have pledged active support for the campaign to save the Cyprus Grass Snake from extinction and set up a captive breeding program.   Both political parties will be writing to European Commissioner for the Environment, Janez Potocnik (janez.potocnik [at] ec.europa [dot] eu.) asking him for [...]

Breakthrough – EU Commission to question the Cyprus Government about the Cyprus Grass Snake

  The EU Commission for the Environment says; “Thank you for this additional document with alarming information about the status of N. natrix cypriaca. As already stated, the Commission is pursuing the infringement case about Paralimni in accordance with applicable procedures. As you also point out the implementation of a captive breeding programme is one [...]

Update – Campaign to Save the Cyprus Grass Snake from Extinction

Cyprus Reptiles has been busy writing to all of the Cyprus MEP’s, Permanent staff from Cyprus on the Council for Europe, The EU Commission for the Environment and all of the Cyprus Deputies about the plight of the Cyprus Grass Snake (CGS). We have been telling them that according to George’s latest field surveys that [...]

Anglers being roped in to save cyprus grass snake

By Michele Kambas Published by The Cyprus Mail on February 9, 2010 ANGLERS are being brought in to help rescue a critically endangered Cyprus water snake that has lived on the island for thousands of years, but now faces a major threat from a snappy fish with a big appetite. As of next Monday, when [...]

Report on Xyliatos and Paralimni Lake, 2005

Report on the situation regarding the Cyprus Grass Snake (Natrix natrix cypriaca) at the Xyliatou dam and the Paralimni Lake in 2005 By Hans- Jorg Wiedl  The Xyliatou Dam was built in 1980-82 to provide farming irrigation. In 1992 I discovered a grass snake population at the plant in spite of repeated reports by the [...]