07/16/2025
Happy World Snake Day from USARK!
World Snake Day is meant to bring awareness to the diversity of snake species, and the vital roles they serve in ecosystems around the world.
There are over 3,900 different recognized species of snakes. Inhabiting every continent except Antarctica, these animals are predominantly harmless to humans, with only roughly 600 species of snakes that are venomous.
From those few species of venomous snakes, their venom has been vitally important in the development of potent modern pharmaceuticals which are being used in treating cancer, and for people suffering a heart attack. Venomous snakes themselves can be easily avoided and allowed to safely coexist when people learn more about them, and the places in their habitat that they are likely to seek.
All snakes, including species that are venomous and the far more numerous species that are harmless to humans, are important to the world we live in, keeping the populations of many rodents and insects we view as pests in balance, and in turn being preyed upon by many other animals in their ecosystem. We do need them around!
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Illustration by Adeline Robinson Art
