There are more than 2,700 snakes varieties spread all over the world in temperate and warm climates; the only part of the globe where snakes cannot live is Antarctica. 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 incredibly large reptile family, but venom they inject in prey is so powerful that it could kill a human being within a few minutes. Chronological research indicates that, the history and origins of snakes are lost in the Cretaceous period, some 150 million years ago, when it appears that snakes evolved from a lizard and changed their living habitat.
Primitive distinctive marks of this ancestry are still present with some snakes, this is the case with pythons and boas that still carry vestiges of hind limbs, which only make us think of a past when snakes were more lizard-like than they are today. Snakes or serpents making the subject of symbolic creations and being widely illustrated 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 insist on the importance of these creatures for the environment of the planet. And many factors confirm such opinions.
There are many aspects in the life of snakes that fascinate scientists and indicate that there are more things to learn about the many existing species. Thus, it is interesting to study how the patterns on the body of snakes differentiate between individuals even within the same species. Then, snakes’ response to vibrations, the incredible sense of smell and even the perception of low frequency sounds make them pretty out of the ordinary. 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 variety of snake species and sub-species should learn to distinguish between the dangerous or harmless specimens, and thus they reduce the risk of snakebites. Non-venomous snakes are not that friendly when threatened, therefore, a avoidance and respect of the snakes’ habitat remain the most effective prevention means. Do not attempt to kill, catch or hunt snakes: they will never come after you for the sake of just biting. Be extremely cautious when keeping snakes as pets.
