Exploring Nature: Snake’s Alive

I am not a big fan of snakes. While I realize these slithery reptiles have a place in nature’s overall scheme, I still find them unlovable.

There are lots and lots of snakes out there — about 2500 species on this earth. And they are quite curious creatures.

A snake never closes its eyes, because it has no eyelids. It is also deaf, having no ears. It “listens” with its sensitive underside for ground vibrations.

It can engulf prey far bigger than its mouth — Asia’s giant pythons are capable of swallowing a deer. A snake’s mouth can expand enormously and its teeth point backward, enabling it to grasp prey firmly. Its stomach juices are so potent they can dissolve bones, so a snake has no need to chew.

Some snakes are poisonous. The African mamba is so deadly that men have died from its bite in less than one minute.

Snakes are not slimy; their skins are dry and exceptionally clean. And while snakes’ flicking tongues look scary, the tongue is quite harmless. In fact, it is a very sensitive organ and is used for touching and feeling any strange object the snake encounters.

The fine forked tips pick up microscopic particles from air, earth and water, giving the snake the scent and feel of its immediate environment.

About 8,000 snakebites are reported in the Unites States every year. However, fewer than 100 people die from snakebites in both the U.S. and Canada each year. But worldwide, especially in India and Africa, snakebites still kill thousands of people annually.

In our area, there are two varieties of poisonous snakes — pit vipers, which include rattlesnakes, copperheads and water moccasins — and the coral snake.

I hope you never suffer a poisonous snakebite. But if you do, the best advice is to keep calm, wash the bite area with soap and water and cover the area with a cool compress. Don’t run, don’t drink alcohol and get to an emergency room pronto — preferably by having someone drive you.