Snakes are among the most feared, maligned, and persecuted organisms on Earth. From biblical narratives to modern media, snakes are often cast as sinister creatures and symbols of temptation and danger. Despite these misconceptions, snakes are fascinating animals with great ecological significance. In this blog post, we’ll explore snake biology, discuss what to do if you encounter a snake, and learn why snakes are vital to the natural world.
Snakes are part of the scientific class Reptilia, or reptiles. This group also includes crocodiles, turtles, lizards, and even birds, which are some of the last descendants of dinosaurs! Most reptiles share common traits like laying eggs, being cold-blooded, having scaly skin that sheds, and descending from ancestors with four limbs. With more than 3,300 described species, snakes make up 35% of all the reptiles on earth. Their remarkable adaptations have allowed them to colonize every continent (except Antarctica) and the Pacific and Indian Oceans, where there are 69 species of sea snakes.
Some of their special adaptations include a straw-like trachea that helps them breathe while swallowing their prey whole, the ability to hear by feeling vibrations through their jawbone, the ability to smell by collecting scent molecules on their tongue, and in some species, the ability to see infrared radiation with heat-sensing pits near their nostrils.
Snakes also hold the title of staring contest world champions because they have no eyelids! Their eyes are covered by transparent, immovable scales called brilles. These brilles become murky and opaque when a snake is ready to shed its skin. Many of these unusual adaptations and bizarre behaviors have inspired humanity throughout time.
From the biblical narrative of Adam and Eve to the World Serpent of Norse Mythology, snakes play a prominent role in our cultural myths and legends. Around the world, snakes have historically been associated with wisdom, knowledge, and medicine. Even today, a snake is featured as the predominant symbol for health care in many countries – a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing.
Unfortunately, due to the predominantly negative portrayal of snakes in modern media, it is common for children to model a fear of snakes displayed by their caregivers. While some may argue that this fear is an innate evolutionary response to the physical danger snakes pose, it’s essential to separate fact from fiction. Snakes are typically not aggressive toward humans and only bite in self-defense. Avoiding detection completely is the most important weapon in a snake’s defensive arsenal. Their quiet nature and complex patterns provide snakes with exceptional camouflage, allowing them to go about their lives undetected.
Most snakes will try to escape from a potential predator as quickly as possible if threatened. If they cannot get away, some snakes will rear up in a defensive posture, such as the eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake, or flatten their head and body to make themselves appear larger and more threatening, like the southern watersnake. Other species may open their mouth in a threat display, such as the cottonmouth, or play dead by exposing their belly and emitting a foul-smelling musk, like the eastern hog-nosed snake. If none of these strategies work, snakes may actively strike and attempt to bite their predator as a last resort. Luckily, most snakes in our area of southwest Florida are not dangerous to humans, and their bites, even if they may cause small lacerations, are otherwise harmless to humans and pets.
Of the 44 snake species native to Florida, only six are venomous, and only four are found in our region – the Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, the Harlequin Coralsnake, the Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake, and the Water Moccasin aka Cottonmouth. With basic precautions and common sense, the likelihood of being bitten by a snake is slim, the likelihood of that snake being venomous is even less, and in our area, human deaths from venomous snake bites are extremely rare. Of the seven to eight thousand people bitten by venomous snakes each year in America, only five will die on average. You are more likely to be killed by falling furniture or TVs, which kill an average of 20 Americans per year, or die in a traffic accident, which result in more than 40,000 deaths each year.
The best things you can do to reduce your chances of being bitten by a snake are to give them space, be aware of your surroundings, wear closed-toe shoes and long pants while walking in the woods, use a flashlight at night, and never try to handle or kill a wild snake. Most snakes are completely harmless to humans and pets and will move on from an area if left alone. Most snake bites happen when snakes are intentionally or accidentally touched or stepped on.
But what if you are one of the unlucky ones who, despite the odds, gets bitten by a snake?
- If you suspect or do not know if the snake is venomous, seek professional medical attention immediately. Ideally, within 30 minutes, but you will likely survive even if it takes a few hours.
- Do not try to catch or kill the snake to bring it to the hospital; the doctor does not need to know what kind of snake it was to treat you.
- Call 911 or the hospital on your way to ensure they have antivenom in stock – they may have limited supplies and will direct you to another facility if so. Ask if they have anyone on staff who is experienced with treating snake bite. If not, ask where they would recommend you seek treatment.
- Stay calm; try to keep your heart rate low to slow the effects of the venom.
- Keep the wound site elevated – reducing swelling is very important to reduce long-term damage and disability. Remove watches, rings, or other items that may constrict swelling.
- Do not make an incision over the wound or try to suck out the venom with your mouth or a suction device – this does not work and often will cause more tissue damage.
- Do not apply ice or a tourniquet – this will cause more damage and may result in an unnecessary amputation.
- Drive expeditiously but safely – high-speed, dangerous driving is more likely to cause an elevated heart rate and result in death or serious injury than the initial snake bite.
Remember, snake bites are rarely fatal in the United States. Snakes can control how much venom they inject with each bite, and approximately 33% of bites contain no venom at all, also known as dry bites. The best approach when encountering any snake is to give it space and never try to touch or kill it. By respecting snakes and keeping our distance, we can ensure our own safety and allow these important creatures to continue playing their important role in nature.
Snakes are integral members of the ecosystems they inhabit. They help maintain and balance small animal populations, including pests that cause damage and spread diseases to humans, such as rodents, cockroaches, and slugs. They also regulate tick infestations by controlling small mammals that larval ticks need as hosts. On the other hand, snakes act as prey for various predators, becoming a meal for everything from large birds to bobcats, alligators, otters, and even other snakes! Their place in the middle of the food web makes snakes critical for supporting larger predators and maintaining the balance of small animal populations.
We are fortunate to have a variety of beautiful and fascinating snake species in our area, such as the endangered Eastern Indigo Snake, the docile Eastern Ratsnake, and the curious North American Racer. To learn more about our native snakes and how to identify them, check out the Florida Museum’s Snake ID Guide.
The best way we can help our native snakes, besides respecting their space and observing them from afar, is to protect their habitats. Conservation Foundation Gulf Coast is working to save land across southwest Florida for people and nature. In fact, Pine Island Preserve in Lee County supports a small population of endangered eastern indigo snakes. Eastern diamond-backed rattlesnakes are found at our Myakka Headwaters Preserve, and recently, an Eastern Coachwhip Snake was observed at our Tatum Sawgrass Scrub Preserve. These important protected natural areas support snakes, birds, mammals, fish, and more, all while providing clean water, fresh air, and space for wildlife and people to roam forever. We hope you’ll join us for an upcoming education program or event to learn more about wild Florida and help us protect these special places. There are lots of ways to get involved!
