RARE footage shows a venomous snake swimming through a Scots stream.
Anthony Seivwright, a seasonal ranger in the Angus Glens, was on his day off near Tarfside, Angus, when he spotted an adder darting through the water on Saturday.
Video shows the slithering snake swimming along the surface of the stream as the back portion of its body moves side to side, majestically gliding around.
Appearing to battle with the flow of the water, the one-and-a-half foot reptile begins to turn to face the current head-on.
The keeper zooms in on the snake, revealing the adder’s distinctive diamond patterned skin.
It begins to move its upper body along with the lower portion as it makes its way upstream.
Cairngorms National Park Authority Ranger Service shared the video on Facebook on Tuesday, writing: “How amazing is this footage from seasonal ranger Tony.
“He did a brilliant job capturing this rare footage of an adder swimming in a stream near Tarfside.”
The video has attracted over 90,000 views and more than 600 likes.
Hundreds of viewers left comments on the rare sighting, with many unaware that adders could swim.
Sarah Taylor said: “Holy moly, I did not know they swam.
“No more paddling or swimming in Loch Lee.”
Tracey Walsh said: “Wish I hadn’t seen that.
“Adders are vipers, I would totally panic if he came swimming towards me.”
Poppy Mairead Loader Spiller said: “Wow, so beautiful.
“It’s such a privilege to get to see one in the wild.”
Alison Freshwater said: “That is incredible.”
Speaking today, Anthony Seivwright said: “I was chatting to Caroline and her family down by a beauty spot and we funnily enough had been chatting about adders, that’s when we spotted it.
“It was swimming around for ten minutes, up and down and into the current.
“It was really unusual to see, particularly because at this time of year they should be following scent trails to find a female.
“It was also unusual to see it there for that length of time.
“Seeing it in a stream like that is also unusual, you normally only see them in things like ponds.
“You wouldn’t expect to see them happily swimming around in water like that.”
Anthony added: “Across the area I’m in I speak to visitors because the snakes are active right now.
“People need to keep their dogs close to them in case they get bitten.
People should always keep antihistamines with them, it will give them enough time to get their dogs to the vet.”
The adder is the UK’s only poisonous snake, but its venom is generally of little danger to humans.
An adder bite can be painful and cause inflammation, however it is really only dangerous to the very young, ill or old.
Although they are not much of a threat to humans, adders can make a dog very ill and should be treated as an emergency.
