Although they have undeservedly received a lot of bad press from man throughout the ages, the common European adder (Vipera berus) is certainly one of the most enchanting wild creatures we still have in the Northwest of Europe. Watching adders is always a treat and will guarantee some very special moments that can really provoke a feeling of absolute unity with nature and the surroundings that truly warm our heart. Adders are very resilient snakes and have evolved to survive in often difficult circumstances. They have also colonized a wide range of terrains, encompassing areas from Western Europe to Mongolia. It is always cool to stumble upon people who see in snakes a beauty, a grace and a perfection that is worthy of our admiration and sheer respect. Judging from his book The Private Life of Adders, the British wildlife artist Rodger McPhail obviously is one of these people. In his formidable work he has captured the only venomous reptile in Britain and the Netherlands (my home country) on camera as hardly ever before. Besides the usual, but still splendid basking shots, McPhail has also photographed this graceful snake in hunting, fighting, birthing and courting mode. The many decent to very good photographs are accompanied by a succinct and insightful text which really highlights the genuine passion McPhail has for snakes in general and adders in particular. The books also briefly covers the natural enemies of the adder and adder conservation. Very important, because although adder bashing is luckily mainly a thing of the past, the sad truth is that this magnificent reptile is still rapidly stripped of its natural habitat in many places. Lets hope that this enchanting book will lead to a further understanding of the adder so that we will be able to enjoy the presence of this gorgeous and very special snake for many years to come.
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