SNAKES AS AN INDISPENSABLE SPECIES FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Author: @madridbg, through Power Point 2010, using public domain images. sipa
Greetings dear members and followers of this varied blog, where I usually share information from different areas and where scientific and environmental issues are the basis or columns of my line of writing. The present delivery is intended to address one of the species worst seen by man, due to its actions and dangerousness, however studies show that it is extremely important in the care and environmental preservation.
We are talking about snakes, the same as species exist in a wide variety, some poisonous and lethal and others simply are not, however, for many a snake whether or not poisonous implies a sign of danger and in many cases these warning signs are being instilled by religious belief associated with the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, being the snakes responsible for inciting them to sin.
Fig. 2. Like all species, snakes are fundamental to the ecosystem. Author: Michael Kleinsasser
Thus, ophidian poisoning has been considered as one of the serious public health problems in tropical countries, since there are many of these species that generate a high mortality rate, due to the toxic nature of their venom.
Our country (Venezuela), presents a great variety of extremely dangerous species such as the mapanare, the tigra mariposa and the rattlesnake, which formerly caused a large number of annual deaths due to their bites, however, these mortality rates have decreased due to the synthesis of antiophidic serum developed by the Biotechnology Center of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV).
In this sense, if we rely on scientific data, we realize that man generates much more damage in the habitat of snakes than the opposite case, according to the National Program for the Conservation of Snakes annually more than 109 thousand specimens die at the hands of farmers, which represents 47% of loss during a year.
Fig. 3. Rhinechis scalaris cropped. Author: Papa Lima Whiskey 2
Other factors that threaten the welfare of the species are forest fires and the urbanization of rural areas, which increases the number of snake deaths to 53% annually. Hence, researchers from the University of Antioquia in Colombia have been conducting a campaign to respect the biodiversity and habitat of these species, which have a great role in the ecosystem by having as main focus the consumption of disease-carrying rodents.
So that snakes like all living beings, have the right to coexist on the planet as they are indispensable organisms in the ecosystem, the same are located at the top of the food chain and represents a species necessary to maintain balance and biodiversity on the planet.
As we have been mentioning biodiversity and is a way to move towards sustainability, so I would like to know your opinion about this species.
BIBLIOGRAPHY CONSULTED
[1] John D. Lynch.. The context of the snakes of Colombia with an analysis of threats to their an analysis of the threats to their conservation. Full Member (chair 41). Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences Institute of Natural Sciences, National University of Colombia. Article: Online Access
OF INTEREST
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Grateful with the community @project.hope and with all the management team of the same one that they motivate us to continue working in a mutual and balanced growth.
Hello @madridbg, certainly snakes help to maintain the balance of the food chain, but outside of scientific terms, I have always wondered: why did Noah raise snakes on the ark? hahahaha
Great informative post..!
Hello @tocho2 good question that corresponds to what we have been raised, we must ensure respect for all species of the ecosystem in order to maintain the balance that the same natural systems has generated, perhaps it is the vision that Noah had when he included the species in the ark. Hehehehe
We must take into account that the human being has invaded the ecosystems of other animals, and when they are attacked by them, they are always the bad guy, but animals claim a space and that is why, from my point of view, we are attacked by them when we invade their space.
thanks for sharing
Hello friend @madridbg
I fully agree with this you emphasize "biodiversity and is a way to move towards sustainability", I think one way to do this is to start once and for all, to respect the biological and ecological niches of the rest of the species, in the case of snakes, consider leaving natural spaces for them to coexist without the pressure of going to urban spaces.
Best regards, be well.
Greetings @lupafilotaxia personally I have panic to these species, but as a man of science and who loves nature I agree with the fact of respecting the ecological ichos since somehow those guarantee us the preservation and care of species and biological diversity.
In Venezuela the theme of the protection of the ecological parks are an alternative to this respect that we pension because they are extensions of land where man can not build their urbanisms. Thank you for stopping by and leaving your contribution
I fear snake as a person because once it bit someone the treatment is a bit expensive apart from that some people did not even survive it. My side contribute to the threatening of the welfare of snake because we eat them although not all species of snake, in the ecosystem chain snake is very important but what to do we grow up and find ourselves in some situation that we later find out that our behavior is not that beneficial to our environment.
Greetings @jennyvic09 as I have mentioned throughout the writing it is normal to be afraid of these species and one way to demonstrate it is to attack and eradicate them, however scientific data do not lie and this fear is leading us to deterioration of the environmental balance that these species represent on our planet.
With respect to what to do, I consider it opportune to respect the protected areas and if there are no protected areas, to propose governmental policies to establish natural areas as protected areas so that man cannot take the urbanism to these sectors.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving your contribution and have a happy day.
Greetings friend @madirdbg, personally snakes are not a species to which I have much fear and when I see one the reaction is to kill it, but lately I have changed this because watching a program called snakes in the city I see how a couple come to the call of people who have a snake in their home and before they cause them harm they rescue them and release them in their habitat.
Excellent information my friend.
Greetings friend @carlir, somo few of us who act in this way and it is understandable 'product of the negative reputation that these have acquired, one way or another for environmental issues we must ensure the preservation of species so as not to break the balance of the food chain that natural systems have formed, Thanks for stopping by and leave your perspective on the matter.
All species, with the exception of man, maintain an ecological niche, and some, as in this case, are population controllers. We have been taught to be very afraid of them and want to wipe them out, but they often appear because we have invaded their space, not the other way around.
You are right @lynnmargullys is our desire for development and urbanism that has not led to disrespect the habitat of these species hence the accidents that unfortunately we are having with these species, thanks for your valuable comment
Did you know that there are two-headed snakes! They are interesting to see. On the other hand, did you know that there are snakes that are generically treated to make their spots look like "smiles"? They are collection snakes, how about that? hehehehehe! I am not a snake lover, in fact, I consider that they are not pets and they are certainly part of the natural diversity, but everything in its place, I can't imagine myself feeding one of them hehehehehe! :)
Greetings @hojaraskita because from a personal point of view I do not know the two-headed snakes, what I am clear is that as a living being of this planet that we cohabit we must have respect for them and this respect should start by respecting their habitat, as it is part of a balance that nature has developed.