With broader morphological and molecular sampling than previous work Hofmann et al. (2018) clarified infraspecific structure within this species. They identified three allopatric, highly divergent lineages, describing the new subspecies Zamenis hohenackeri lyciensis and clarifying the ranges of the three recognized subspecies;

• Z. h. hohenackeri: south-eastern Anatolia, Türkiye.
• Z. h. lyciensis: southern Anatolia, western Syria, to northern Israel, and Cyprus.
• Z. h. taurica: Black Sea coast of Anatolia south and east to the Caucuses and north-western Iran and north-eastern Iraq.

European regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD)
EU 27 regional assessment: Data Deficient (DD)

This species is only present in the European region on Cyprus, where the sole recorded specimen is of uncertain provenance, its ecology is unknown and it has not been recorded since 1962. It seems to be of either marginal occurrence or it does not occur naturally in the European region (although it is possible that its range on Cyprus represents greater than 1% of the global range), and is consequently assessed as Data Deficient.

Within the European region, this species has been recorded from northern Cyprus (Göçmen et al. 2009, Hofmann et al. 2018), where it is known only from a single historical record previously identified as Zamenis situla (Göçmen et al. 2009) which may represent either a natural or introduced subpopulation (Hofmann et al. 2018). Numerous surveys have taken place in the south of the island but have not succeeded in rediscovering this species (S. Zotos pers. comm. October 2022).

The previous European Red List regional assessment of the species (Hraoui-Bloquet et al. 2009) indicated that it was found on "one small Greek island near the Turkish coast", however, the species is not included in the European fauna by Speybroeck et al. (2016) and Greece is not a range state listed by Sindaco et al. (2013) or Geniez (2018). The related Z. situla, which can be confused with this species, is known to occur on nearby Kos Island (Hoffmann et al. 2018), and for the purposes of this assessment the Transcaucasian Rat Snake is not considered to occur in Greece pending confirmation of its occurrence here.

Globally, this species is found over much of Turkey, through Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Caucasus region of southern Russia, to northwestern Iran and northeastern Iraq (Afrasiab et al. 2011), and south through Lebanon to Syria (Sindaco et al. 2013). It is presumed to occur in western Syria in the area mapped: Sindaco et al. (2006) report the first record from this country outside the Israeli-administered Mt. Hermon area, based on an examination of museum records mostly collected in the vicinity of Palmyra, but do not specify the precise collection locality. It occurs from 100 up to 3,000 m asl.

The sole record from Cyprus is a museum specimen with an accession date of 1962, from an area now in the buffer zone between north and south Cyprus which has not been surveyed since at least 1974 (Göçmen et al. 2009).

Globally this is a fairly common species over much of its range (Hraoui-Bloquet et al. 2009). Although Jandzik et al. (2013) describe it as "rare", these authors note that it is secretive and difficult to sample. It is moderately rare on Mount Hermon. Hoffmann et al. (2018) suggest that the long-term viability of a number of subpopulations, particularly of their new subspecies Z.amenis hohenackeri lyciensis, is "rather unclear". This is apparently an inference from rates of habitat loss within its range.

Although nothing is reported of the ecology of the Cypriot specimen, suitable habitat (based on its ecology elsewhere) exists at Lapithos in the western part of the Kyrenian Mountain Range (Hofmann et al. 2018).

Based on information elsewhere this snake is active during the day beneath rocks or shrubs (Geniez 2018). This author notes that it is probably also active at night, but the basis for the suggestion by Jandzik et al. (2013) that it exhibits "predominantly crepuscular and nocturnal activity" is unclear. It is largely found in mountainous areas where it occurs on open, rocky slopes, in wooded ravines, wet valleys and at the edges of deciduous woodland. Geniez (2018) also refers to steppe plateaus. The activity period lasts from March to October. It can be found among ruins and in traditionally farmed land and rural gardens. The females lay between three and eight eggs in a clutch, which usually hatch in August (Geniez 2018).

There is no information on threats to the species on Cyprus. This species is sold in the pet trade, although not in large numbers, and it seems unlikely that Cyprus is the origin of this traded material.

This species is included in the pet trade in small numbers, but the origin of animals in trade is not known.

Further research is required to understand the presence, distribution, population size, and threats to this species on Cyprus.