Whip Snake in France..?

[oreo1]

hey everyone.
my friend has just been to Paris for a holiday, and came across a snake that looked similar to a bhp. its been described as having a black shiny head, a yellow and black striped body and was 2.5 foot and really skinny. (and cute eyes ) she googled it and concluded that it might've been a whip snake. question is are these located in France? i thought it peculiar that (unless it were an illegal escapee) an australian snake is found overseas...anyone know of a snake of this description found in France? thanks

 

[Retic]

European Whip snakes are completely different animals, they just share a name. There are also different Whipsnakes in North America.

 

[Caissaca]

Hierophis viridiflavus, a widespread and common snake in France, Italy and neighbouring areas.

Common names like "whip snake", "brown snake", "tiger snake", "copperhead" etc. are used for totally different and unrelated snakes all over the world.

 

[pinkmus]

Caissaca would that be a western whip snake? I used to encounter a few when Iwas still living in Malta. (Just 90kms under Siciliy) The Juveniles used to have an olive green colouration and the adults used to be coal black but I guess the colours vary throughout its range. They arent the tamest of snakes lol!

-Will

Edit: They are the same thing I used to know them by the old scientific name name Coulber viridiflavus !