Snakes are misunderstood as they are deadly animals. Snakes belong to reptiles. Which are elongate, limbless, carnivorous. Their suborder is serpentes. They do not have legs and wings. More than 3000 species are found all over the world.
25 Facts about Snakes
1. Habitat
The habitat of snakes is very wide; they live in forests, deserts, grasslands, freshwater and saltwater. Snakes are predators, they eat different animals like rodents, insects, birds eggs, and young birds also.
2. Existence
Snakes are found in all the countries except only six countries.
3. Species
Snakes are the second largest species in reptiles after lizards. There are almost 3789 species found all around the world and 140 species live in Australia that’s why Australia is called as home of snakes. All these species are divided into 30 different families. Which are further divided into numerous subfamilies.
4. They are not cold blooded
Many times reptiles are said to be cold-blooded but it is not correct. They are ectothermic which means their body temperature is changeable by external sources like the sun their body temperature also gets changes which doesn’t occur in aves and mammals.
5. All snakes are not oviparous
Snakes are oviparous but only 70% of snakes lay eggs while others don’t. Snakes that live in colder regions give birth because the eggs of snakes can’t survive in colder regions.
6. Snakes don’t have eyelids
instead of eyelids snakes have ‘brille’ which is a thin membrane on each eye and this brille protects their eyes. Brille is a German word and it means glasses.
7. Snakes smell with the help of their tongue
Snakes also have nostrils but they are not used to smell instead they use their tongue and jacobson’s organ which occur on the roof of their mouth to smell.
8. Eating habit
Unlike mammals, Snakes eat their food without chewing it and that’s why they swallow the whole food. Because they have very flexible jaws. They can eat animals that are 75% to 100% larger than a snake’s head. As they swallow the food in their digestive tract there are some chemicals that help them digest the food that is ingested.
9. Locomotion
there are 5 forms of locomotion which are used by snakes. One of them is slide pushing which is commonly used while they are trying to escape on a smooth surface. Another one is concertina. In this locomotion, they need seven times more energy.
10. Snakes not found in these countries
Snakes are found all over the world except in only six countries. Antarctica is the only continent where snakes are not found.
11. Evolution
Firstly snakes were found 98 million years ago. And they had legs for 70 million years
12. Life span
Snakes can live up to 170 years. and wild snakes can live up to 100 years.
13. Moulting
Unlike other animals snakes skin does not stretch that’s why they shed their skin it is called molting. In a year they molt 3-6 times.
14. Black mamba
Black mamba is the deadliest snake because the venom of Black mamba is highly potent. It is found in Africa. And also it is the fastest snake as it moves about 4.32 to 5.4 meters per second.
15. Titanoboa
It is the largest snake Fossil which is located in Cerrejon mine in Colombia. Its length is up to 50 meters and its weight is up to 20 times more than human beings.
16. Snakes drink water with their throats
snakes use their throats to drink water.
17. Venom
Of 3000 species of snakes, only 600 snakes are poisonous and only 200 species are deadly which is about seven percent of all the species.
18. Sea snakes
there are about 70 species of snakes that live in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are the most venomous snakes But they are very shy, and their fangs are too small so they damage less as compared to other snakes.
19. Gliding snakes
Some snakes use glide techniques for locomotion and to hunt their prey. They belong to the chrysopelea species which are commonly called flying snakes.
20. They not only live on land
Snakes are reptiles but they not only live on land but some of the species live in water and some live on trees.
21. Snakes do not have ears
Snakes do not have ears like humans. They hear with the help of an inner ear which is connected to their jawbone and they hear by the vibration.
22. Snakes have many ribs
Snakes have lots of ribs which are attached to every vertebrae bone.
23. Infrared sense
Snakes have an infrared sense. It means they can sense if living beings are around them with the help of heat they are getting from the surroundings. For this, they have a pit organ which is near their mouth.
24. Snakes can fly
Snakes not only can swim but also they can fly but it is false to fly as they glide.
25. Snake skeleton
Around 600 to 1800 bones are present in the snake’s skeleton. It depends on the types of species.
Snakes belong to reptiles and they are misunderstood as deadly animals. Yes, there are some species that are deadly but not all snakes are deadly. Only 7 % of snakes are venomous.
They are found in very wide habitats where snakes live on land, and in water and some live on trees which are called arboreals.
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