There are three species of snake native to Britain plus a fourth, non-native species. Three of these are completely harmless - only the adder (Vipera berus), a native reptile, is venomous.

How common are adders in UK?

Each year there are millions of visits to areas where adders occur, yet very few bites occur. Comprehensive figures are not documented, but research indicates that there are around 50-100 adder bites to people per year in Great Britain.

How many snakes are in the UK?

In Britain there are three native species of snake: the adder, the grass snake and the smooth snake. Another animal that may be seen is the slow worm, which is actually a legless lizard - not a snake.