The serpent, more commonly referred to as the snake, has been used as a symbol of evil, medicine, fertility and much more across various religions and cultures, and 1 February is National Serpent Day.
There are more than 3 000 species of snake in the world. The world’s smallest snake – which is only four inches long – is the Barbados thread snake; the longest is the reticulated python and the heaviest is the green anaconda.
To celebrate today, do some research on snakes or visit a zoo to see some in person.
Here are some interesting snake facts:
– Only one eighth of the known snake species are venomous
– To allow them to consume prey up to three times larger than the diameter of their heads, many snakes have upper and lower jaws that can separate
– Snakes eat their prey whole
– Most snakes are nocturnal
– They use their tongues to smell the air
– To regulate their body temperature, snakes must sun themselves, because they are cold-blooded
– Although most snakes lay eggs, there are some who give birth to live youngsters
– Snake venom has been studied for medical purposes for many years. Snake venom can be used for anti-tumor treatments and its anti-bacterial properties
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