Over the past thousand years snakes have earned themselves a somewhat negative reputation. While it’s understandable that people might fear an animal capable of possibly injuring them, we must remind ourselves that snakes are in fact fascinating and diverse creatures. They range in size from several centimetres to over five meters long, and from friendly and docile to aggressive and on the odd occasion deadly.
Snakes do actually deserve more understanding and appreciation that we give them which is why we are highlighting their importance in today’s blog.
Why Celebrate World Snake Day?
World Snake Day is celebrated annually on the 16th July, it is a crucial occasion for raising awareness about the diverse species of snakes found globally.
Snakes often carry a negative reputation, and many people are really and truly scared of them, which is understandable given the associations and myths surrounding them. Even the term “snake” is frequently used to describe a deceitful individual. However, snakes are fascinating creatures that play a vital role in our ecosystem.
Did you know there are over 3,500 species of snakes worldwide, but only about 600 are venomous? That’s less than 25 percent! Moreover, only 200 species pose a significant threat to human life.
Of the 3500 species found in the world there are only 54 species found in the Greater Kruger National Park and only 9 of those pose a threat to humans.
With all these numbers and statistics it seems fair to say that actually locating a snake in the Timbavati is fairly rare, but also we should make sure we understand the species of snake it is. Perhaps we all need to change the way we view these reptiles and give them a little more positive recognition.
How Long have snakes been around?
The snake is one of the oldest mythological characters and has been admired and held in awe by civilizations around the world for thousands of years. With the large number of species that are found it seems obvious that snakes inhabit diverse environments, from the semi-frozen tundra of northern Canada to the steamy jungles near the equator to Africa’s Savannas and even many of the world’s oceans.
Snakes are highly effective predators and they play a vital role in maintaining the balance of nature in their respective ecosystems. Snakes are fascinating because of their prehistoric lineage, providing a glimpse into a time when the earth was dominated by reptiles. Many people do not actually know that modern reptiles are the living, breathing relatives of dinosaurs.
What have we Learnt?
World Snake Day was established to educate people about these incredible reptiles and their significant contributions to our world. Although snakes are not widely hunted, their populations are declining due to habitat loss from deforestation and climate change, which also reduces their available prey.
The Spotted Bush Snake
This beautiful bright green snake is totally harmless to humans, but sadly it is often mistaken for a Green mamba or Boomslang and so frequently gets killed.
These slender snake has keeled belly scales which enables it to climb trees easily and hunt geckos which are its main source of food.
So, next time you are walking around Tanda Tula Safari Camp and if you happen to be fortunate enough to spot a snake in the grass or in a tree make sure to ask someone help you identify it correctly, keep you distance and perhaps pay this ancient reptile some respect before allowing your fear to take over.
