07/16/2026
WORLD SNAKE DAY IS THE PERFECT TIME TO DITCH PREJUDICES AND LEARN ABOUT SNAKES
Consider the lowly serpent. Whether allegorically personified in Genesis, presented factually in a responsible nature documentary or portrayed as man-eating monsters by Hollywood, snakes are a source of fascination and mystery, even if that fascination is the icky, scary kind.
Since the beginning of time, snakes have been deified and vilified by various cultures, filling dual roles as both gods and devils. But what makes snakes a source of powerful attraction for some and the target of unmitigated hatred for others?
Fear of snakes is called ophidiophobia. There may be a self-preservation response buried deep within our psyche that protected our primitive ancestors from the threat of venomous snakes, but modern humans often choose ignorance over knowledge when it comes to understanding snakes.
It is incredible that any creature can crawl, swim, dig, climb, capture prey and in some cases, glide through the air, all without the benefit of limbs, fins or wings. Rather than fear them, we should be in awe of their beauty, mystique and diversity.
There are more than 3,400 snake species in the world, ranging from the semi-frozen tundra of northern Canada to the steamy jungles of the equator and most of the world’s oceans. As highly effective predators, snakes play a vital role in maintaining the balance of nature in each of these realms. Snakes have a prehistoric lineage, giving us a glimpse back to a time when the earth was ruled by reptiles.
Believe it or not, some snakes make great pets. They don’t claw the drapes or leave hair on the furniture. They don’t p**p on the lawn or bite the mailman or bark and keep the neighbors awake. You don’t have to fence the yard, get them licensed or have them vaccinated.
I have kept snakes as pets since I was 10 years old and they provide an equal or greater amount of aesthetic enjoyment than any aquarium filled with tropical fish. (Have you ever tried to hold a pet fish?)
It’s true that a snake won’t come when you call it (they are essentially deaf and not sufficiently sentient to react to verbal commands even if they could hear), and they don’t seek affection or play the way some mammals do, but they are as individually unique in their personalities as any other animal. But because I like my pets to like me back, I also have a cat.
Snakes are not the malevolent creatures portrayed in the Bible. (That's not even what the Bible says.) Over time, they have become convenient victims of superstition, bad movies and the anthropomorphic misassumption that animals can be harbingers of evil. But snakes are merely creatures like any other. They live, eat, reproduce, and do their best to survive in a world that holds them in contempt, and humans owe them a huge debt of gratitude.
As voracious predators, snakes (including venomous snakes) provide an indispensable contribution to human survival. If snakes were to disappear, we would be besieged with vermin, pestilence, plague and crop destruction within a matter of months. This fact alone should make us appreciate snakes, but instead we revile them based on a perceptual and scriptural misunderstanding.
The value of snakes in the environment cannot be overstated. All creatures serve a purpose in the grand scheme of things, and snakes serve a dual role as both predator and prey. As mid-level predators, they are vital in controlling rodent populations, while at the same time, providing food for a variety of other creatures. Any ecosystem with snakes in it is a healthy, balanced and vibrant natural community.
July 16 is World Snake Day. Forget all the hype, wives’ tales and urban legends. Put aside old prejudices and replace them with new knowledge. Snakes do a lot for us and we should be nicer to them. The only good snake is a live snake!
Dave Jensen is the former owner of Wasatch Snake Removal in Salt Lake City, Utah, a passionate advocate for scaly creatures everywhere, and author of THE ONLY GOOD SNAKE . . . Tales from a Rattlesnake Whisperer. He has never met a snake he didn’t like.
Meme source: Unknown
