More road-killed Caspian Whipsnakes (Dolichophis caspius): an update on the species distribution along the Danube, in Romania

Dolichophis caspius is present in Romania only in the southern regions, which partially represent its northern distribution limit. In recent years, new data on the distribution of D. caspius in the country have been collected, with many of these records being road-killed individuals. Conducted during 2013-2019, this survey further completes the information on this species' distribution in southern Romania, recording 55 (mostly new) distribution localities. Dolichophis caspius is a constant presence in the Danube meadow, and it also advances northwards along the Jiu, Olt, and Arges River meadows. Dolichophis caspius was mostly found to inhabit areas with loess walls, but it was also present in flat areas with agricultural terrains. Most of these records were road-killed individuals. The high number of new distribution records could be driven by the last year's weather conditions, which were unusually warm and dry in the region. Also, the high number of road-killed snakes clearly reflects the increasing level of the human pressure on D. caspius in a region where natural habitats are becoming increasingly rare.