A snake removal call near a chicken coop in Israel led to an extraordinary wildlife sighting when a rescuer realized the venomous animal in front of him was not an ordinary viper, but a rare albino one.
As ynet reported, the unusually pale Palestinian viper was documented and later released back into the wild, giving experts a rare glimpse at a genetic mutation that can make survival far more difficult.
What happened?
Raz Biran, a snake catcher and animal rescuer who is also a biologist and tour guide, was called to a community near Hadera to remove a snake from the area around a chicken coop, the outlet said.
Rare albino viper found near Hadera stuns Israeli snake catcher
— Ynet Global (@ynetnews) July 6, 2026
Snake catcher Raz Biran was called to a chicken coop near Hadera and discovered an unusually pale female viper, a rare mutation that makes survival harder...https://t.co/JQPs8ztO1C pic.twitter.com/igOfqQYrE0
"The owner pointed toward the fence and asked if I could see the snake," Biran recalled to ynet. "I looked and searched for a viper in its regular colors, and then I noticed a pale patch."
Once he got close enough to examine it properly, Biran identified the animal as an albino female Palestinian viper, a rarely seen wild snake with a mutation that leaves it without melanin.
"This is a very rare phenomenon," he told the outlet.
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The snake was documented with help from academics and nature photographers before being returned to the wild, a step Biran said was necessary because of how unusual the find was.
He added to ynet that the timing made the encounter feel even stranger, since a friend had coincidentally shown him a photo of another albino viper the night before.
Why does it matter?
The mutation can create serious disadvantages in the wild.
Biran told ynet that albino snakes can have a harder time surviving than normally colored ones, since poor vision and their conspicuous coloring may leave them more exposed to predators.
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"They generally have vision problems, and their light color also makes it harder for them to camouflage themselves from predators," Biran explained to the outlet. "Despite that, it seems this female has managed to survive until now."
The viper was found near a chicken coop, a human-managed space that can attract rodents, provide shelter, and draw predators such as snakes.
As landscapes are altered by farming, construction, and expanding communities, people and wild animals are being pushed into closer contact.
What's being done?
Experts documented the rare viper and released it back into nature unharmed. Biran declined to reveal the exact site of the find to ynet in an effort to protect the animal.
He said the public should keep clear and avoid trying to handle a snake themselves, even when it appears rare, vulnerable, or unusual. Biran noted to the outlet that Israeli law protects snakes, and only licensed snake catchers are permitted to capture them.
"Do not try to kill, catch or drive the snake away. Keep your distance, maintain eye contact with it and call a snake catcher or the local authority," Biran implored, per ynet. "Most snakes that are captured are returned safely to nature."
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