Snake Facts
With the exception of Antarctica, snakes are everywhere on the globe in warm and temperate geographical areas. The diversity of the 2,700 snakes species is relevant in the size differences too: there are some only a few centimeters long while others reach the impressive length of nine meters like the anacondas or the pythons. Venomous snakes are a minority in this huge reptile family, but their toxic poison is so powerful that it could kill a human being within a few minutes. Chronological research indicates that, the history and origins of snakes go back to the Cretaceous period, some 150 million years ago, when it appears that snakes evolved from a lizard and adapted to a different living habitat.
Primitive distinctive marks of this ancestry are still present with some snakes, this is the case with pythons and boas that still have vestiges of hind limbs, which only point to a past when snakes resembled lizards a lot more. Snakes or serpents making the subject of symbolic creations and being widely represented in the arts. Worshiped or hunted down as evil creatures, snakes surely have a fascination on human mind; yet, modern attitudes are partly different towards snakes particularly under the emphasis of the ecological movements that stress out the importance of these creatures for the balance of ecosystems. And many factors confirm such opinions.
Fascinating details in the lives of snakes indicate that not everything has been discovered about the many existing species. Thus, a study of the colored patterns on the body of snakes indicates incredible differentiation details between individuals belonging to the same family. Then, snakes’ response to vibrations, the superior sense of smell and even the reception of low frequency sounds indicate the fact that snakes are fascinating. The same amount of scientific respect is due in terms of anatomical programing by the presence of the infrared sensitive receptors that allow pit vipers for instance to detect the warmth of the prey’s body.
Snakes share their habitat with us, and people living in areas with a higher density of snake groups and sub-groups should learn to distinguish between the dangerous or harmless varieties, and thus they reduce the risk of snakebites. Non-venomous snakes could also bite and injure one seriously when sensing danger, therefore, a healthy attitude towards such animals will save you a lot of trouble. Do not attempt to kill, catch or hunt snakes: they only feed and defend themselves as they cannot hold grudge and follow you just for the sake of biting. Be extremely cautious when keeping snakes as pets.
No Comments