| Steppe Rat Snake (Elaphe dione) (Pallas 1773) |
| Other names: Steppe ratsnake, Dione's ratsnake, Steppes Ratsnake, Pallas’ Coluber |
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Elaphe dione is a common and widespread Eurasian species. Its range extends from the Black Sea and North Caucasus, through Kazakhstan and Central Asia, to eastern Russia, Korea, and central China. E. dione inhabits steppes, deserts, meadows, wetlands, forests, woodlands, and fields, between sea level and 3,600 m asl. Steppe Rat Snakes are light brown, tan or grey in colour with darker blotches on the back, growing up to 1.5 m in length. They feed on small mammals, birds and bird eggs, smaller snakes, frogs, and invertebrates.
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