The Truth About Snakes

     Introduction

        Snakes? Trust me, I know what you're thinking, "I HATE snakes". Well, you're not alone! Snakes are among one of the most feared species in America. I am here to break the stigma behind our legless friends and show people that snakes should be friends, not fears. I'm also here to open up a gateway to information about all species of snakes. It is important to be educated on such a species because although they may come with risks, you need to know how to handle and calculate those risks. Also, it is important to know how to care for nature properly and snakes are included in that. This blog will cover the following areas, designed to de-stigmatize an admirable species of reptiles.

Why We Should Care About Snakes

      "Like all animals in the web of life, snakes play an important role in our ecosystem by maintaining a balance to the food web. Because snakes are both predator and pray, they keep the pest population down by feeding on mice and other small rodents that damage crops and carry disease. Snakes also provide food for larger mammals, birds and even other snakes." Without snakes, population control of mice and other rodents would increase,  causing a decrease in our crop population and therefor food. Killing snakes without reason is a problem obviously because it causes a decrease in essential snakes that are needed to keep our environment stable.

Why It's Important To Know What to Do If You Come Across a Snake...

      It is important to know what to do if you come across a snake because there are two types of snakes. There are venomous and there are non-venomous, and the way that you handle these two types of snakes are different depending on their classification. for instance, if you come across a rattlesnake hiking the method of treatment may be very different of which a gardener snake being discovered while hiking. This is why I am excited to inform people on the difference of treatment between these different types of snakes. 

Why It Is Important to Properly Identify Snakes

      Along with knowing what type of snake a snake is, it is also important to know the signs of a venomous snake versus a non-venomous. This is important because very commonly non-venomous snakes are killed because they are mistaken as venomous snakes. This turns into an issue because as I stated before there is a chain of prey and predators, and any disruption in this causes a disruption in the food chain, and also a disruption in our lives as humans.

Conclusion

      In conclusion, it is important to raise awareness about snakes because like us they are a vital part to the ecosystem and they must be respected. I myself used to be one of those people that would list off snakes in my top three list of most feared animals (next to spiders, of course) because of the stigma around them. I am here to raise awareness and create a space where people can get solid information on a species that deserves to be talked about in a positive light versus a negative. I am excited to inform you all and I hope that you are excited for this journey as well. Together, we will conquer our fears of one of the worlds most feared animals/species in the most positive light possible, and also raise awareness for a species that cannot do it for themselves.

Sources:

https://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/outdoor-safety/the-year-of-the-snake/