World Snake Day, held every year on July 16, aims to increase awareness regarding the over 3,500 snake species that exist across the world. Yes, that’s a lot of snakes! And, guess what? Not all of them are as scary or venomous as we believe them to be.
The fascinating reptiles are often not given the recognition they deserve just because of the bad reputation they have earned over the years.
For instance, a friend who is a traitor is known as a ‘snake.’ The day aims to change the negative perception surrounding snakes and promote the love for all living beings — even the ones we fear.
The English word ‘snake’ comes from the Old English word ‘snaca.’ The reptile is thought to have come from terrestrial lizards that existed around 174.1 million to 163.5 million years ago. In fact, Eophis underwoodi, the oldest fossil snake, lived in England about 167 million years ago.
However, even before researchers learned about the numerous snake species, the reptile was mentioned in ancient mythologies and was also an integral part of various religions.
For instance, in the Bible Satan took on the form of a snake that existed in the Garden of Eden. And it is due to the snake that Eve consumed the forbidden apple and was banished.
According to Irish mythology, in the 5th century, St. Patrick went to a hill top where he fasted for 40 days. During this time, he was attacked by snakes. To protect himself, he waved his staff and expelled all the snakes of Ireland into the sea.
This is why, even today, Ireland is devoid of snakes. In another legend, the Chinese believe there once was a white female snake demon who resided underwater.
According to the ancient Chinese myth, the demon took on a mortal form when she fell in love with a human, and the two later married to give birth to a boy. The twist in the plot is that the demon’s identity was revealed by the Buddhist monk, Fahai.
The monk then trapped the snake demon under his lakeside pagoda. Folklore such as these often show snakes in a negative light and may be responsible for portraying them as evil beings.
