A venomous snake named Gloydius Halys has been discovered lurking in a street found behind the ‘Achlal’ Department Store in Bayangol District of Ulaanbaatar. On Monday, 19 August, a local called  B.Oidovdorjil on sighting the creature telephoned 310005. Experts from the Environmental Agency caught the snake and returned it safely to the wild. According to officials, Gloydius Halys and other snakes come out of hiding and slither to safety when there is heavy rain – as there recently has been in Ulaanbaatar.

There are two species of snakes which are common in Ulaanbaatar – the Gloydius Halys (venomous) and Elaphe Dione (not venomous).

The snakes of Mongolia are poorly known; currently zoologists recognize nine native snake species, representing three families: Colubridae, Erycinae and Viperidae. Three of the species are venomous, three are constrictors; the remaining three species prey on cold-blooded prey, simply swallowing their prey live.