Monday, August 27, 2012

Snakesss

I tried asking my mother for a pet snake when I was a child. Kids in the Western hemisphere of the globe seemed to be allowed to keep them, so why couldn't we? We could remove the fangs and keep one, I suggested. But she bluntly refused. Of course, I hadn't thought it through properly - it won't be happy to eat vegetables and fruits, I can't teach it any tricks and an escaped snake is not a comforting thought. Kids nowadays are better informed about the realties of adopting wild animals.

A few years back, during a vacation back home, we were horrified to see a huge blackish snake swallowing another snake of nearly the same size in our backyard. We had never seen such a thing before or even heard of it. It was not uncommon to bump into the occasional snake in our garden - looking for food, water, a place to chill out (literally) or even having courtship rituals. But what seemed like cannibalism at the time was a shocking observation.

Yesterday, I went for my first on-the-job volunteer training session at zoo. There were several stations to pick from - birds, rain forest animals, primates, African savannah animals, domesticated animals and the night safari animals, but I thought I'll spend some quality time with the reptiles (snakes, lizards, crocodilians, tortoises and turtles). I find them quite fascinating.

Reptiles remain a class of animals that are often misunderstood and seen in negative light. They are feared, they look intimidating, there are plenty of horror movies about killer reptiles to feed the imagination, they are often associated with all things evil, they don't seem to resemble our behaviour that much, and yes, they can be deadly too. But from a biological perspective, the evolutionary adaptations that these creatures have developed to survive all these millions of years are pretty darn impressive. We easily attach ourselves to animals that look "cute" or do things that remind us closely of our behaviour  - like baby animals, furry animals, warm-blooded animals, ones with big eyes, ones that look after their young like us, docile ones or sociable ones. So in reality, there is more public support for the well being of animals that humans have an emotional attachment to compared to those that don't. Needless to say, reptiles aren't on the top of the list, despite their significant role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. 

Yesterday's lesson was on snakes - the most misunderstood of all reptiles, I think. They are mostly timid animals that go to great lengths to avoid us humans and usually strike when startled, provoked, cornered or while guarding their eggs. But with reducing natural habitat, they often find themselves in human territory while looking for food, water, mates or safer habitats. Although only 17% of the world's snake species are venomous, any one of them would be easily be killed as a precaution if accidentally found in someone's home or backyard. Elsewhere in the world, they have a lot of demand and are captured as exotic pets or hunted for their meat, skins and as ingredients to traditional medicines which are believed to have various healing properties (not scientifically proven, of course). 

Meet Elvis 

Elvis, the yellow 4.3m King Cobra, is the star exhibit at the reptile station. He was captured several years ago at the Singapore Country Club and handed over the the zoo. Looking that impressive a specimen, he would not have survived in the wild for too long in metropolitan Singapore. I don't suppose Elvis understands that, but he sure has been forcefully recruited into being a conservation ambassador at the zoo, to represent his brethren! If I met a giant King Cobra like Elvis in the wild in a threatened position, my first reaction would be an attempt to scream and run, but before I manage that, I'll probably pass out (it is most advisable to keep calm, stand still and back away slowly when faced with a snake). Turns out King Cobras eat other snakes for food when given a choice (and hence the title "King"). So that finally solved the mystery of the snake-eating snake. 

Their defense mechanisms are so effective that a bite from a venomous snake is almost always fatal. Chances of making it to a hospital on time with access to anti-venom and making a full recovery will be something short of a miracle. That's the thing with wild animals. They and us are not meant to share the same habitat and compete for the same resources. They need their space, just like we do. It's not our sympathy they need, rather, it's our respect for their existence. Looking at the diversity of species on Earth resulting from millions of years of evolution, it is obvious that they have equally earned their right to roam the planet freely, just like we have. But what probably isn't that obvious is that ultimately, our survival as a species will depend on theirs. 



2 comments:

  1. Don't worry, I'm not a creepy stalker either, but I've been snooping (un-creepily) through your blog and have enjoyed it.
    And yes, I think snakes are misunderstood. We have a lot here in Australia, but I happily walk barefoot around the paddocks and they leave me alone, so long as I give them their space.
    Happy blogging. :)

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  2. Ooh, that's pretty cool you are from Australia. I hear the biodiversity there is amazing!

    And thank you, I'm flattered to have an un-creepy stalker :D You are welcome anytime.


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