by croatiaweek
August 23, 2026
in
Poskok (Photo: JovanJankovic455/CC BY 4.0)
A four-year-old boy from Austria has been treated in hospital after being bitten by a poskok (horned viper) while staying at a campsite in Istria.
The incident happened on Friday while the child was on holiday in Croatia with his family. According to reports, the boy was playing when he lifted a stone and disturbed a small poskok underneath it.
The snake bit the child, who was given medical assistance before being transferred to a hospital in Rijeka.
He received antivenom and was admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit. According to the latest information reported by Slobodna Dalmacija, citing Austrian media outlet Kleine Zeitung, the boy was in a stable condition and responding well to treatment.
The incident highlights the presence of Croatia’s venomous snakes in some rural, rocky and coastal areas, particularly during the warmer months.
The poskok is one of Croatia’s venomous snake species and is found in various parts of the country. While bites are relatively uncommon, they can require urgent medical attention.
Experts generally advise people not to approach or handle snakes and to take particular care when moving stones, walking through tall grass or exploring rocky terrain.
The latest case occurred during the peak summer holiday period, when Croatia’s campsites and coastal destinations are hosting large numbers of international visitors.