World snake day - a massive slithering reptile

World snake day is celebrated on 16th of July every year. This is done in order to protect the snakes as they are victim of human interference and myths related to them.

World snake day - a massive slithering reptileThese myths basically rise from unawareness in public as they cannot handle snakes with care if the face them and an individual has only option to kill it and in doing so , he put his life in risk too.

The people of subcontinent are mostly uneducated and live in agricultural areas where the ratio of snake biting is maximum, like in Pakistan Indus valley (Punjab) and Indus Delta (Sindh) are one of the most affected areas where 95% of agricultural activity of country takes place.

Annually 100,000 people die just because of snake bite and the ratio is maximum in India where 46,000 people become victim of this tragedy every year.

In Pakistan, 55 species of snake are reported and only 13 are those which are poisonous but as the snake body has fearful impact over human psychology ,so all snakes are considered venomous and they all are treated equally rather than differentiation on the basis of their toxicity level.

Out of all these 55 species, Bungarus caeruleus, Naja naja, Daboia russelii and Echis carinatus are considered more deadly as they are found in agricultural areas of Indus valley where labor work in agriculture activity is even more than any other corner of country.

But why there is more exposure of snakes to human habitat? The answer is dreadful in its meaning because reclamation, rapid deforestation and overgrazing are the major factors behind this unwanted scenario which is threat to both snake and humans of subcontinent and everywhere in the world where these conditions are prevailing.

Now this human-snake conflict of centuries must be stopped with the advancement in education and awareness level. There is a dire need to protect humans from snakes and snakes from humans. For that purpose, wildlife Pakistan must start introductory seminars in areas where there is maximum ratio of snake interference.

People must be informed about the behavior of snake in order to deal with them rather than just getting in attacking position with them which offends them. The people must be informed about the importance of snakes for the environment as major population consider them as only dreadful creature.

Snakes are the best way for control pest because it is a natural and environmental friendly. If there are no snakes then you might have to face problems of rodents like in Nebraska where mice cause $20 million damage.

Taking another example of timer rattlesnakes which reduce the rodents population in eastern US and these rodents are host to ticks which can cause Lyme disease which is a dangerous bacterial infection.