Nature Snake(Serpentes) Quotes, picture and videos
Hello friends today we are talk about snake in the nature.
Scientific name : Serpentes
Higher Classification : Ophidia
Class : Reptilia
Kingdom : Animalia
Lifespan : Acrochordus arafurae
Diet : Carnivore
Despite of all the above said facts, snakes are very dangerous creatures. Snake
bites are not systematically reported in most countries. Moreover, very few countries
possess a reliable epidemiological reporting system capable of providing precise data
on snake bites. Instead, scientific reports and publications have to be used to assess
the magnitude of the problem posed by snakebites. The incidence of bites is high in
warm regions, where snakes are abundant and economic activities are mainly
agricultural (J P Chippaux., 1998). Overall estimates suggests that, globally, at least 421,000 envenomings and 20,000 deaths occur each year due to snakebite. These
figures may be as high as 1,841,000 envenomings and 94,000 deaths. Based on the
fact that envenoming occurs about one in every four snakebites, between 1.2 million
and 5.5 million snakebites could occur annually (Kasturiratne et al., 2008).
Snakes of Medical Importance in India are cobra (Naja naja), the common
krait (Bungarus caeruleus), the Russell's viper (Daboia russelii) and the saw-scaled
viper (Echis carinatus) commonly referred as ‘BIG FOUR’ (Simpson et al., 2010). In
India, among 123,000 deaths from 2001–03, 562 deaths were assigned to snakebites.
These mortalities occurred mostly in rural areas and were more common in males
than females. Annual deaths due to snake bite in India are more in the states of Uttar
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. All the above mentioned statistics in India is due
to ‘BIG FOUR.’
All through history, snakes have been considered as both good and evil. There
are many superstitious beliefs regarding snakes in India. The snake is a powerful
symbol in Indian Mythology and Hinduism. The snake (‘Nag’ as they are commonly
called in Hindi language) is worshipped by people across the country. The picture of
Lord Shiva is incomplete without the Cobra around his neck. Another Indian God,
Lord Vishnu, rests on a seven headed snake. There are hundreds of references to
snakes with mythical powers in Indian stories. These have made the snake a powerful
symbol in Indian Culture. People do try to feed snakes with milk thinking that they
can offer something to god, but the fact is, a snake will fall sick if it is forced to drink
milk. There is a belief that snakes have supernatural powers, but this is not true and
the belief that golden coloured snakes have diamonds in their mouth is just but a
fantasy. To sustain mythological beliefs, there are news about two headed and three
headed snakes which are absolute falsehood.
Apart from India other cultures too have stories regarding snakes. For
instance, in the Christian bible, the story of Adam and Eve being tempted by the evil
snake (Satan) with an apple and caused them to be kicked out of the beautiful Garden
of Eden is well known. Also in the Bible, Moses, who went to Egypt to convince the
Pharaoh to release the Hebrew slaves, turned his walking stick into a snake to prove
God’s power. The Ancient Aztecs worshipped the snake. Quetzalcoatl was the
“plumed serpent” and was considered the “Master of Life”. Some African Cultures
worshipped rock Pythons and killing a python was a very serious crime. Aborigines in
Australia believed that a giant rainbow serpent was the creator of life.
Role of snake in nature
Snakes play an integral role in maintaining balance in the Nature. In most systems, snakes can be both predator and prey. When a large prey population attracts and sustains a large snake population, those snakes become prey for birds, mammals and even other snakes! Some snakes specialize in preying on other snakes, like the kingsnake, which can prey on rattlesnakes because they are immune to rattlesnake venom. In Southeast Asia, the king cobra, the longest venomous snake in the world, is also a snake-eating specialist!
All snakes are strictly carnivorous, eating small animals including lizards, frogs, other snakes, small mammals, birds, eggs, fish, snails, worms or insects. Because snakes cannot bite or tear their food to pieces, they must swallow prey whole. The body size of a snake has a major influence on its eating habits. Smaller snakes eat smaller prey. Juvenile pythons might start out feeding on lizards or mice and graduate to small deer or antelope as an adult, for example.
Some snakes have a venomous bite, which they use to kill their prey before eating it.Other snakes kill their prey by constriction.Still others swallow their prey whole and alive.
Life of Snake
The average life span of a snake is 10 to 25 years in the wild. Snakes in captivity can live longer. The life span of a snake depends on the species and the size of the snake. Large snakes such as the King Cobra and the python can live 30 to 40 years. ower this is far above average. Most snakes will live for around 15–25 years in captivity. Some species tend to be very fragile and may not even survive longer than a couple of month in captivity, especially wild caught individuals.
Type of snake in Indian Nature
There are 270 plus species of snakes in India, out of which about 60 are highly venomous. The big four dangerous snakes of India includes Indian Cobra, Krait, Russell's viper and Saw-scaled viper.
Malabar Pit Viper is a venomous species of pit viper snake found mostly at western ghat of India and they can perfectly camouflaged with the surrounding area. This species inhabits the rain forest of the Western Ghats and known to exist in many different colour and patterns such as green,orange,brown and yellow.
The Indian cobra (Naja naja), also known as the spectacled cobra, Asian cobra, or binocellate cobra, is a species of the genus Naja found, in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan, and a member of the "big four" species that inflict the most snakebites on humans in India.
Role of snake in India(Hinduism)
Ancient Mesopotamians and Semites believed that snakes were immortal because they could infinitely shed their skin and appear forever youthful, appearing in a fresh guise every time.The Sumerians worshipped a serpent god named Ningishzida. Before the arrival of the Israelites, snake cults were well established in Canaan in the Bronze Age, for archaeologists have uncovered serpent cult objects in Bronze Age strata at several pre-Israelite cities in Canaan: two at Megiddo, one at Gezer, one in the sanctum sanctorum of the Area H temple at Hazor, and two at Shechem.
In the surrounding region, serpent cult objects figured in other cultures. A late Bronze Age Hittite shrine in northern Syria contained a bronze statue of a god holding a serpent in one hand and a staff in the other.In sixth-century Babylon a pair of bronze serpents flanked each of the four doorways of the temple of Esagila.At the Babylonian New Year's festival, the priest was to commission from a woodworker, a metalworker, and a goldsmith two images, one of which "shall hold in its left hand a snake of cedar, raising its right [hand] to the god Nabu". At the tell of Tepe Gawra, at least seventeen Early Bronze Age Assyrian bronze serpents were recovered.
Several Hindu gods and snakes are associated closely like Lord Shiva is depicted wearing a snake around his neck and Vishnu is seen performing yoga nidra on Shesha Nag. Here's a look at five Nagas and their prominent roles in Hindu mythology. Astika was the son of Jaratkaru and serpent goddess Manasa.
Nag panchami is an important Hindu festival associated with snake worship which takesplace of the fifth day of Shravana (July–August). Snake idols are offered gifts of milk and incense to help the worshipper to gain knowledge, wealth, and fame.
Different districts of Bengal celebrate the serpent in various ways. In the districts of East Mymensing, West Sylhet, and North Tippera, serpent-worship rituals were very similar, however. On the very last day of the Bengali month Shravana, all of these districts celebrate serpent-worship each year. Regardless of their class and station, every family during this time created a clay model of the serpent-deity – usually the serpent-goddess with two snakes spreading their hoods on her shoulders. The people worshipped this model at their homes and sacrificed a goat or a pigeon for the deity's honor . Before the clay goddess was submerged in water at the end of the festival, the clay snakes were taken from her shoulders. The people believed that the earth these snakes were made from cured illnesses, especially children's diseases.
These districts also worshipped an object known as a Karandi. Resembling a small house made of cork, the Karandi is decorated with images of snakes, the snake goddess, and snake legends on its walls and roof. The blood of sacrificed animals was sprinkled on the Karandi and it also was submerged in the river at the end of the festival.
Among the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya, there exists a legend of snake worshipping. The snake deity is called "U Thlen" (lit: Python or large serpent) and it is said to demand human sacrifice from his worshippers. Those who can provide the Thlen with human blood, are usually rewarded with riches, but he would shame those who cannot provide the needed sacrifice. The subject of the Thlen is still a sensitive subject among the Khasis, and in recent years,in some rural areas, people have been killed in the name of being "Nongshohnoh" or Keepers of the Thlen, the evil snake God.
As kul devata also nagas are worship at many parts of India including Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. In Madhya Pradesh a village Sironja Gadariya in KATNI District people worship naga as a god of their ancestry. They are mainly brahman who worship Shiva also. They are descendants of bharadwaj saga and using Surname Dwivedi. In this village people are worship naga dev in every ceremony like birth, marriage, and any other small and special events. They also claim that even a real serpent mostly cobra living with them but never harm any one. They consider that they are their ancestors who are cursed due to some wrong deeds.
Finally another tradition in Hindu culture relating to yoga brings up kundalini, a type of spiritual energy said to sit at the base of the human spine. The term means "coiled snake" in Sanskrit roots and several goddesses are associated with its vitality, including Adi Parashakti and Bhairavi.
Thank you.
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