MOVEMENT RATES OF THE SMOOTH SNAKE CORONELLA-AUSTRIACA (COLUBRIDAE) -A RADIO-TELEMETRIC STUDY

The movement behaviour of free ranging smooth snakes (Coronella austri aca) was studied by radio-telemetry. The species exhibits a low median hourly-movement rate (0.54 m h-1, range = 0.00 to 44.26 m h-1, n = 10 74) and a correspondingly low daily-movement rate (median = 13.30 m da y-1, range = 0.00 to 166.81 m day-1, n = 138). There were no significa nt differences in movement rates between the sexes. Smooth snakes do n ot generally occupy specific features (such as dens) and move through parts of sites at differing rates; some animals will remain within sma ll areas for some while whilst others move through an area quite quick ly.The effect of attachment of radio-transmitters on the behaviour of the snakes was investigated via a short laboratory study using time-la pse video recording. Only minor differences were observed between move ment rates and behaviours of tagged and untagged animals and no differ ences were detected for changes in body weight over the period. These observations indicated that the attachment of a radio-transmitter did not significantly affect the behaviour of smooth snakes.