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Snakes  Snakes  Snakes by Veronica

Here's an African Rock Python eating a gazelle.  See how it unhinges its jaws and swallows the helpless animal whole. What's up with snakes? Snakes right now are scientists largest study.  Because of their scaly skin, strong bodies, and elastic like throats, it is no wonder they're voted the world's most interesting animals. Unlike humans, snakes are cold blooded and their body temperature depends on the air temperature.  If it is either too hot or too cold, a snake is fatal. As you may know, humans chew their food, but snakes swallow it whole.  A snake can unhinge its jaws, allowing it to swallow a whole gazelle. Tongues Have you ever wondered why some snakes stick out their tongues?  The truth is they're actually smelling the air (see below).  Most snakes like the rattle snake, have a sensor at the tip of their tongues which helps them detect prey.  Of course, that's not the only way snakes smell the air.  Some snakes, like the eye lashed viper, sense prey through their rough, scaly skin.  Every little heat sensor helps the snake sense the air temperature and detect whether prey is far or close. AdaPTOtions Snakes are predators to many animals...but, they're also prey to many too, especially the mongoose.  This is why many snakes have adaPTOtions to help them survive.  For instance, the king snake is a very harmful snake and isn't a very large victim.  This is why the coral snake looks almost exactly like the poisonous king snake.  This type of adaPTOtion is called mimicry.  All of the other snakes that do mimicry, or camoflage are called Colubridae. [col-u-bir-day]  Colubridae snakes consist of garter snakes, water snakes, etc.  These snakes are all fairly small.The biggest, longest land animals are longer than an elephant or a giraffe.  Boas & Pythons can be well over 30 ft. long.  These creatures come in the Boidae [boy-day] family.  The 30 ft.Boa can be heard hissing 100 ft away when in danger.  Now, if I was that predator, I'd be scared.  This is why many people fear the Boa and the python when they should fear the viperidae [vi-per-i-day], the poisonous snakes.  These snakes use their poisonous fangs to kill. This rat snake is smelling the air by sticking out its tongue. Habitat Most viperidae are found in Africa, prefering the warm heat.  A snake needs warm weather to stay active and survive.  After eating a large meal a snake lies in the sand soaking up the sun.  Africa is also the home of many deer, gazelle, and wild pigs.  This makes Africa a perfect place for venomous snakes and a not so perfect place for humans.  Snakes aren't only found in Africa.  Rattle snakes are found almost everywhere from late February through August.  Boas and Pythons are usually found in South America, Asia, and Australia.  But there's almost nowhere where there isn't a snake. The Problem Snakes are part of our food chain and they help us live.  What would we do with out them? It would be better if people thought of that before killing a harmless snake.  A lot of people mistake a hognose snake for a cobra and kill it.  Think of what the rat population would be if we didn't have snakes!  Even a rattle snake can be harmless if you just leave it alone.  Farmers shouldn't complain about snakes eating their livestock.  They should be complaining about two times the rats eating their food.  Snakes worst enemies are humans.  The only reason snakes attack humans, is because they're scared.  Every snake is a part of nature and should be respected. Amazing Facts: Boas can be heard hissing 100 feet away Some snakes can be well over 30 ft long Even a snake as large as your hand is as strong as the strongest man in the world A snake can eat an animal as big as a gazelle A cobra's hood can stretch 5 times as large as its body Poisonous snakes are more dangerous than lions, tigers, wolves, bears, and sharks put together