Dr Rani Mughal
Since ages, snakes have been considered one of the most misunderstood and despised creatures of the animal kingdom. Remarkably they are celebrated every year on July 16th, a day designated as World Snake Day not only to highlight the vital role they play in an ecosystem but to debunk various myths associated with these slithering serpents.
My own experience with snakes down the memory lane traces back to my early childhood days wherein my grandma would encourage me to offer my prayers by telling me that upon not doing so, would lead to being relentlessly bitten by deadly poisonous snakes till the day of resurrection. Nevertheless, our myths, our folklore, and our religious beliefs are not the only reasons for the negative portrayal of snakes. Ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes due to the lethal threat posed by their venom also plays a part.
Here, let us address some common myths about snakes before exploring the ecological importance of snakes and the need to conserve these vilified and demonized creatures of mother nature, let’s address these by stating the real facts as below:
*Not all snakes are inherently aggressive or deadly, most of them are reclusive and keep to themselves. They will only bite if threatened or provoked.
*Not all snakes are venomous; out of over 3000 species only 600 species are venomous and only a subset of these pose a danger to us.
*Snakes cannot hypnotize or charm their prey. In reality, they lack having cognitive abilities to hypnotize and their fixed stare is simply due to their unblinking eyes.
*Snakes are not slimy, their bodies are dry bearing smooth scales.
*Snakes can see and are not deaf; they sense sounds through vibrations.
*All the mythical Ichchadhari Nags and Nagins possess a Nagmani, a precious gemstone capable of reviving the dead is pure fiction. Nagmani is a bone, the size of a rice grain depending upon the age of the snake. On top of that many charmers persuade the devotees to purchase Nag-Mani to bring bread to their table.
Talking about different types of snakes, globally there exist over 3000 different species of snakes that display a vast array of sizes, habits, and behavior, ranging from the benign common garter snake to the deadly king cobra. Broadly these species can be grouped into families:
*Colubridae is the largest family that includes most non-venomous snakes aside from a few venomous species.
*Elapidae includes venomous snakes such as cobras, mambas, and coral snakes.
*Viperidae is known for its venomous species including rattlesnakes and pit vipers.
* Boidae consists of large non-venomous constrictors like the boas and the pythons.
There are numerous existential threats that snakes face today. Urbanization is one crucial factor that has jeopardized the existence of snakes by shrinking the ecosystem needed for their survival. The habitat loss from clearing forests, wetlands and grasslands for agriculture, housing, and industry is of grave concern as these are essential for their survival. Sadly habitat fragmentation has made it challenging for snakes to reproduce since this isolates populations from each other and they don’t get enough mates. Another noteworthy peril is the direct extermination since snakes evoke fear and loathing which leads to their on spot killing when sighted by humans.
Illegal wildlife poaching also contributes to making it difficult for snakes to thrive as they are captured to be sold as pets in the international market. They are also used in traditional medicine or hunted for their skin. The ongoing trade has significantly damaged the rare and exotic snake species as they fetch a high price when smuggled and sold in the black market. Aside from this, climate change is another serious threat to habitat loss as the shift in temperature and precipitation patterns, affect the availability of prey and suitable living conditions thereby reducing the snake population.
Road Ahead:
Efforts are being made to preserve their population and some of the strategies adopted or can be adopted are highlighted below:
Snake conservation is challenging primarily due to their unpopularity. In this regard, habitat protection is of paramount importance to restore them to their natural dwellings thereby educating the masses to know how to safely coexist with them in nature.
Research and regular population monitoring can inform conservation strategies and policies and support herpetological studies to better understand snake habits, behavior, ecology, and conservation strategies.
Developing highly advanced and efficacious anti-venoms can reduce the fear of deadly snake bites thereby making the local population more tolerant towards snakes.
On the eve of World Snake Day let’s get straight to the point that snake conservation is not only the need of the hour but this serves as a reminder to know, understand, and sympathize with them to appreciate their basic yet intrinsic role as predators to help control the population of rodents, insects and other reptiles and also that they themselves serve as food for a wide array of predators like birds and mammals that make them an integral component of the ecosystem. Coordinated efforts should be made by our Governments, NGOs, scientists, and students to create awareness and help eradicate the prejudice against snakes for their rehabilitation and protection. Observing Snake Day may raise awareness about their ecological roles and the conservation strategies to ensure the survival of these fascinating reptiles thereby maintaining the balance of nature.
(The author is Principal GDC Surankote)
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