World Snake Day, celebrated annually on July 16,
is dedicated to raising awareness about the diverse and often misunderstood
reptiles. The day aims to educate the public about the role snakes play in
ecosystems, dispel myths, and promote conservation efforts.
World Snake Day: Why it's celebrated?
Snakes are crucial to maintaining the balance of
nature. They control pest populations by preying on rodents and insects,
thereby protecting crops and reducing the spread of diseases. However, these
reptiles are often feared and persecuted due to widespread misconceptions and
myths about their danger to humans. World Snake Day serves as an opportunity to
correct these misunderstandings and highlight the importance of snakes in the
natural world.
World Snake Day facts
Snakes are masters of disguise, skilled hunters, and champion eaters. Here are awesome facts you may not have known about these carnivorous reptiles.
According to
National Geographic, about 600 species of snake are venomous, and only about
200 seven percent are able to kill or significantly wound a human.
Snakes are capable of swallowing animals up to 75%-100% larger than
their own heads.
According to the
latest count, there are 3,789 snake species, making them the second largest
group of reptiles after lizards. They are divided into 30 different families
and numerous subfamilies. Australia is home to approximately 140 of them.
In Indian
culture, the cobra is considered the king of serpents and is believed to
possess incredible powers. The cobra is often referred to as Nag or Naga in
Hindu mythology, and many stories revolve around these powerful beings, who are
sometimes depicted as half-human and half-snake.
Lord Shiva, one
of the most important gods in Hinduism, is often depicted with a snake around
his neck, symbolizing his power over death and rebirth.
Ever wondered
why snakes might give you an eerie feeling? They don’t have eyelids! This means
they don’t blink and have to sleep with their eyes wide open. Instead of
eyelids they have a thin membrane attached to each eye to protect them. The
membrane is called the ‘brille,’ which in German means glasses.
Snakes do have
nostrils, but they don’t use them to smell. Instead, they have evolved to smell
with their tongue and by using their Jacobson’s organ in the roof of their
mouth. Their smell is quite excellent and has also been described as “smelling
in stereo”. They have a forked tongue and multiple receptors able to pick up
different amounts of chemical cues.
Imagine a snake
moving through the grass. What do you picture? The well-known s-movement? This
wouldn’t be surprising, because this is the most common form of locomotion in
snakes, also known as lateral undulation. But snakes have four other types of
movement. Arboreal snakes, for example, use a form of locomotion which uses
seven times more energy, called concertina. There is even a special locomotion
used for when a snake tries to escape on a smooth surface, known as slide
pushing.
Most snakes lay eggs, but some species – including sea snakes – give
birth
Snakes are mostly solitary, except during mating season.
If snakes could put a “leave me alone” sign on their bedroom door, they
probably would.
Outside of
Antarctica and the North and South poles, snakes are found nearly everywhere on
Earth except for Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, and New Zealand.
Some sea snakes can breathe partially through their skin, allowing them
to stay underwater longer.
Snakes are bony – they can have up to 1,200 bones.
Snake scales
(and rattlesnake rattles) contain keratin – the same substance found in human
hair and nails.
Some snakes have
girl power: the tiny Brahminy blind snake, or flowerpot snake, is the only
snake species made up solely of females, meaning they can reproduce all on
their own.
How can snake help us?
Snakes serve
critical role as predators, as preys, as ecosystem engineers, and provide
economic and therapeutic benefits to humans.
Snakes are also
a source of many medicines. The only proven and effective therapy for snakebite
- the snake-anti venom, is also derived from snake venoms.
Snake venom is
injected into horses and sheep. The animals’ plasma with antibodies against the
venom is collected and purified to produce the life-saving, snake anti-venom.
Snakes also play
a role in disease prevention and provide benefits to agricultural communities.
Rodents are carriers of many zoonotic diseases (like Lyme disease,
leptospirosis, leishmaniasis, hantavirus) which affects humans, dogs, cattle,
sheep, and other domestic animals.
Snakes as
‘ecosystem-engineers’ facilitate ‘secondary seed dispersal’, thus contributing
to reproduction of plants.
By eating
rodents, snakes keep the population of rodents under control, thus preventing
zoonotic disease transmission, and contributing to food security.
