Holidaymakers issued urgent warning as snakes are 'waking up' for summer in Spain

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Snakes may be a common sighting for Brits headed to Spain this summer. And holidaymakers have been warned to be on the lookout as the country's snakes wake up for the season.

Mallorca, one of the most popular tourist destinations among Brits, will see snakes become more common between the months of May and July as the serpents look for the ideal nesting place. Last year, several were spotted on the beach in Calvia and in the port town of Andratx.

Vanessa Rubio, biologist at the Consorci per a la Recuperació de la Fauna de les Illes Balears, or COFIB, told Majorca Daily Bulletin: "This is their gestation time, so they are looking for the ideal nesting place.

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"In May, June and July snakes are more active so people are more likely to see them, especially if it's hot. Temperatures have not risen much yet, but the snakes are waking up and if we have a cold May and June, we will see more of them in summer."

Horseshoe snakes, considered a relatively new addition to the island, are expected to be common sights on the stunning Balearic island, reports the Daily Star. The snakes are fairly harmless - however if they feel threatened they will attack.

When people are around they will more likely flee than not, and Rubio insisted that the snakes on the island are not a danger to travellers.

Rubio said: "Being bitten by a horseshoe snake is like being bitten by a cat and they are not poisonous or dangerous. They will defend themselves if they are cornered and try to bite, but they are not poisonous."

There are five species of snake in the Balearic Islands, including the serp de garriga and the serp d'aigua.

The garrigue serp is a protected species and the other three are the serp d'ferradura or horseshoe snake, the serp verda and the white serp, the Mallorca Daily Bulletin reports.

There are, however, five types of poisonous snakes and around 10 nonpoisonous snakes in Spain - which is consistently the top tourist destination for Brit travellers.

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