Save the snakes

   

STATUS:

There are about 2,700 species of snakes, of these 375 are venomous. In the United States, ten species are listed as threatened and seven species are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
DESCRIPTION:

Snakes are elongated, limbless, flexible reptiles. Their body shape depends on the habitat in which they live. Aquatic snakes usually have a flattened body; those living in trees are long and slender with a prehensile tail while burrowing snakes tend to be compact. Snakes are found in a huge range of colors, from bright to dull. Brightly colored snakes are usually venomous, their coloration serving as a warning to predators, while dull colored snakes use their coloration for camouflage. Some snakes mimic the color and pattern of venomous snakes.
SIZE:

Brahminy blind snakes are the smallest snake at two inches in length. The anaconda can reach lengths of 38 feet.

LIFESPAN:

In captivity, some species will live as long as 50 years.

RANGE:


Snakes are found throughout the world except Antarctica, Iceland, Ireland, Greenland and New Zealand. Most snakes are found in tropical regions.HABITAT:

Snakes are found in many habitats including in the water, forests, deserts and prairies.
FOOD:


Snakes consume a variety of items including termites, rodents, birds, frogs, small deer and other reptiles. Snakes eat their prey whole and are able to consume prey three times larger than the diameter of their head because their lower jaw can separate from the upper jaw. To keep prey from escaping, snakes have rear-facing teeth that hold their prey in their mouths. Venomous snakes inject their prey with venom, while constrictors squeeze their prey. They do not need to hunt everyday. Anacondas and pythons can survive for up to a year without food after feeding. Snakes hunt mostly at night.BEHAVIOR:


Often observed flicking it�s tongue, snakes use their forked tongue to smell the air. Snakes are ectotherms, meaning they must regulate their body temperature externally by sunning themselves or retreating to cool, shaded areas. Snakes hibernate during the winter. Snakes must shed their skin three to six times per year.OFFSPRING:

Most snake species lay eggs, but some species give birth to live young. Snakes lay their eggs in a warm location. With the exception of some python species, eggs and young are not cared for by the male or female.

THREATS:

Roads, habitat destruction.

PROTECTION:

Endangered Species Act

Snakes on a Plane (2006)
105 min - Action | Thriller - 18 August 2006 (USA)












6.0/10

Users: (66,492 votes) 1,010 reviews | Critics: 271 reviews


An FBI agent takes on a plane full of deadly and poisonous snakes, deliberately released to kill a witness being flown from Honolulu to Los Angeles to testify against a mob boss.

Directors: David R. Ellis, Lex Halaby
Writers: John Heffernan (screenplay), Sebastian Gutierrez (screenplay), and 2 more credits »
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies and Nathan Phillips

 

Find out more about snakes.

For many children in the city who were scared of snakes, Rajkumar Kanuri helped them overcome their fear and made them understand the world of these beautiful reptiles. An ophiologist, (one who studies snakes,) Rajkumar had been studying and understanding snakes for about 40 years. In his demise recently India lost one of its renowned ophiologist as well as conservationist and ecologist.

But his institution “Friends of Snake Society” will continue to work towards rescue, rehabilitation and conservation of snakes. Not only did he and his team rescue snakes, they've also been conducting demos in schools for over two decades.

Snakes alive!

“A politician, an engineer, a teacher, an ecologist….they all begin as students in a school”, stated Rajkumar “that is why I like to do educational demos in schools. In their early years and at an impressionable age if children are made to understand the importance of snakes and wildlife, the importance of co-existing with nature, the significance of the eco-system, I think I've done my bit in sensitising a person to the world around.”

Thousands of children used to watch open-mouthed as Rajkumar and his team brought venomous and non-venomous snakes to the school premises and display them to the children and patiently explain all about them in a highly interesting (and safe) manner. The entire episode used to be special and remains one of those lessons one remembers for a lifetime!

The “Friends of Snakes” society has members who are mostly volunteers that often started off as students watching Rajkumar's demos.

The Forest Department, Wildlife Department, Maneka Gandhi, Amala Ankineni , have all been extremely co-operative and supportive of Rajkumar's work. His 12 year old son is following in father's foot-steps handles the snakes(non venomous) with an uncanny ease.

Rajkumar's dream was to start a large snake farm. His snake farm near Sainikpuri was a hub to “edutain” children with the educational demos with live snakes. He survived about 30 snake-bites (poisonous), lost two of his fingers and considered himself very fortunate to be alive to pursue his passion for these beautiful creatures of nature “that are highly misunderstood and are not out to get you” as he puts it! He was glad that schools invited his team for demos and people too kill snakes lesser these days.

Let's remember him and hope of a better existence for his slithering companions he cared for during his life!

Keywords: Snake conservation