Snakes are one of the most misunderstood creatures on the planet. The folklore surrounding the snake would have people believe that they are sinister, evil creatures hellbent on sinking their fangs into an unsuspecting victim, when in truth they have much more to fear from humans.< p>

Are Snakes Poisonous or Venomous?

There are an estimated 3000 species of snakes in the world, and approximately 400 of those are venomous. A common misnomer is that snakes are poisonous. Poison is a toxin that must be ingested or have skin contact to be effective, while venom must be injected. There are more nonvenomous snakes in the world than there are venomous ones.

How Snakes Hunt

Snakes do not have eyelids or ears. They rely on vibrations to help them sense nearby movement. Snakes use their forked tongues to sample particles on the air by passing them to the Jacobson’s organ located in the roof of their mouths. This provides an enhanced method of detecting prey. Other snakes rely on eyesight or heat sensing organs to hunt.

All snakes are carnivorous. Most nonvenomous snakes overcome their prey by constriction, or by swallowing it alive. Snakes prey on rodents, birds, eggs, lizards, frogs, and other snakes. Larger snakes, like anacondas or pythons, are able to consume prey as large as antelope.

Snakes are able to consume prey larger than themselves, not by dislocating their jaws, but by disarticulating them, which allows them to open their jaws widely enough to swallow their prey. Because they are able to consume such large prey, they can survive for long periods between meals.

Amazing Snakes

Snakes are referred to as "cold-blooded," although the correct term is ectothermic. Their body temperature is regulated by outside influences. The warmer it is, the more active they become, and if the outside temperature drops too low, their metabolism slows and they hibernate.

Snakes do not live in family units, and generally will only come together for breeding or hibernation purposes. Often, someone will stumble across a "ball" of mating snakes, garter snakes for example, and mistakenly believe that they’ve found a "nest." Snakes fend for themselves from birth without the protection of parents.

As they grow, snakes shed their skin several times a year. This shedding process reveals new skin and helps to remove mites and parasites they may have picked up.

Another interesting trait of snakes is how they move. They don’t have legs, so they propel themselves along by a process called locomotion. By flexing their ribs and the scales along their bellies, they are able to move in a variety of different ways. Some arboreal snakes are even able to glide from tree to tree.

The Role of Snakes

Snakes play a beneficial role in helping to control rodent populations. Rodents can carry diseases and parasites that can be spread to humans. Left unchecked, rodents can destroy crops and invade homes in search of food. Rodents have been the culprits in several past plagues that have killed thousands.

A snake in the garden helps deter unwanted visitors such as rabbits and birds, and some snakes, like the nonvenomous king snake, even eat venomous snakes such as cottonmouths and rattlesnakes.

Don’t fear the snake, but do respect it. Nature has a purpose for the remarkable snake.

*copyright Beverly Hill. Originally posted on Suite101.com February 2008.