World Snake Day | Characteristics of Snakes | Importance | Snake Conservation

World Snake Day is celebrated on the 16th of July every year. This day aims to raise awareness about the species of snakes around the world. World Snake day highlights the importance of Snake conservation and Snake preservation. Moreover, this day creates awareness about Non Venomous Snakes. Snakes play an important role in maintaining ecological balance by controlling pest populations. Many people are scared of Snakes, so it is necessary to change the perception. Only 600 Species of Snakes are Venomous Snakes. However, only 200 species are able to kill or wound a human. Importantly, it is only the snake that can provide us anti-venom for snake bites.  The characteristics of snakes are interesting.

How Anti Venom is produced from Snake and Horse 

Snakes are limbless reptiles. They belong to the order Squamata and Suborder Serpentes. They are carnivorous. There are 20 families, 500 genera, and more than 3400 Species of Snakes. Among these species, only 600 are venomous snakes.

بجلی جیسا جھٹکا دینے والی سانپ نما مچھلی کے بارے دلچسپ حقائق، ڈاکٹر مجاہد حسین

Characteristics of Snakes

Characteristics of snakes also relate to the body. Snakes are without limbs. They have evolved from limbed lizards. They have elongated and cylindrical bodies. Moreover, their body is highly flexible, which allows them to move in various ways. They have scales on the skin. These scales protect them and help them in movement. These scales have color and provide camouflage. Furthermore, they shed their outer layer of skin epidermis in a process called ecdysis.

These reptiles have two eyes without eyelids. Instead of, eyelids they have specialized transparent scales to protect their eye called spectacle. They do not have external ears but have an internal ear. So, they can detect low-frequency sounds.

Although, they do not have a voice, but have the ability to hiss. They have forked tongues. They flick their tongue in and out to pick up scent particles from the air. It also helps them to track the prey.

They have very flexible jaws. Due to their jaw, they are able to swallow whole prey. Non-venomous Snakes have four rows of upper teeth and two rows on the lower jaw. While Venomous Snakes have fangs for the maxillary teeth to inject venom. They have a specialized organ called the Jacobson’s organ. It enhances their sense of smell.

They have a very elongated vertebral column and have more vertebrae than any other animal. They have up to 600 vertebrae. These reptiles have two kinds of vertebrae, body and tail. There are 100-450 vertebrae in the body and 10-205 in the tail. They have a pair of ribs with each vertebra except behind the head.

Snake Habitat

Snake habitat includes forests, Grasslands, Savannas, open oceans, wetlands, vast deserts, and mountain regions. It also includes urban and agricultural areas. They exist everywhere except Antarctica, Iceland, Ireland, Greenland, and New Zealand.

Snake Conservation and World Snake Day

Snake conservation is important for maintaining ecological balance. Snakes play an important role in the ecosystem. However, they are facing many threats such as habitat loss, climate change, and human persecution.

They are persecuted for skin to make bags and shoes. They are hunted to extract venom. Primarily, venom is used as an anti-venom. It is the only effective treatment for snake bites. Additionally, snake venom is used in medicines used for high blood pressure, heart failure, pain relief, and heart attack.

Most of the snakes are harmless to humans even venomous snakes also. They control the rodent population. As a result, they protect humans from different diseases. These diseases include the Plague, the Hantavirus, and Lyme disease.

So, it is necessary to conserve snakes. It is also necessary to educate people about snakes.

Snakes ngo has founded Advocates for Snake Preservation (ASP) in 2014 to promote their conservation. ASP is working to change the narrative about snakes.

Editor In Chief

Dr. Jassar Aftab is a qualified Veterinarian having expertise in veterinary communication. He is a renowned veterinary Journalist of Pakistan. He is veterinary columnist, veterinary writer and veterinary analyst. He is the author of three books. He has written a number of articles and columns on different topics related to livestock, dairy, poultry, wildlife, fisheries, food security and different aspects of animal sciences and veterinary education.

See Full Bio