[Stefan-A]

So am I. Well not really. I think it's one of these cases where the politicians are afraid that they might upset the public. Herpetologists all seem to agree that it should be protected, but the average joe still thinks that he needs to kill every snake (or snake-like lizard) that he comes across, just in case it might be the venomous Vipera berus. Finns rarely overreact, but when it comes to snakes, suddenly everything is about "protecting your family". You wouldn't believe the excuses they give for deliberately killing grass snakes, which, after all, is a protected species.

A part of the problem certainly is that most Finns actually come in contact with snakes as most families have a summer cottage somewhere in the countryside. But they never really get used to having snakes around.

So that's why I find it necessary to relocate wild snakes. If I don't, some dork will try to kill them with a shovel.