Snakes: How they help man

Andrew SCOTT

THE report and picture ‘Snake Alive’ (Daily News Sept. 12th) should have drawn the attention of all readers interested and appreciative of snakes, a word whose very mention brings fright and awe to the minds of many people who always think that all snakes - poisonous or otherwise are mere harbingers of death and disaster, fright and awe.

This picture depicts how a live Egyptian cobra (a very poisonous snake) guards a pair of ruby, sapphire and diamond sandals valued at 62,000 pounds at Harrods shoes counter in central London. This shows that contrary to the very negative ideas about snakes there are many benefits they bestow on us.

In this context it would be useful to discuss the manifold other ways in which this dreaded class of animals are

 serving man throughout the world.

Specially in the Asian countries man is always poised to think about the destructive force of snakes and it is very seldom that we care to think about the important part they lay in relation to man’s welfare, either directly or indirectly.

Particularly in India and Sri Lanka snakes have evoked awe and curiosity and they are looked at and talked about as mere objects of fear. But it is important that we should understand snakes as an important facet of nature leaving aside the fear and mysticism we generally attach to them.

Civilised people and those with a highly developed aesthetic sense are impressed by their beauty and graceful movements and poets have written about them. Even to the ancient Greeks, the serpent represented wisdom and longevity.

It is reported that recent Australian researches have discovered that snake venom extracted from the deadliest snakes offer a treatment for congestive heart failure. One of the greatest benefits that snakes throughout the world confer on man is the control of rodents such as rats which all types of snakes relish to swallow.

From the dim historic times rodents have been one of man’s greatest enemies as they are potential cariers of deadly diseases and are great raiders of food stores. Throughout the centuries snakes have been effective controllers of rodents more than any other single natural agency.

More direct methods of their service to mankind comes to us in the use of snakes as a source of food and as a source of raw material in the production of expensive fancy goods. Throughout the centuries reptile leathers have been both ornamental and durable and all kinds of snakes have provided their quota of reptile skins.

Specially the skins of sea snakes have been highly fancied in this sphere. Particulary in the Western countries fashionable women love to posses snake-skin shoes and purses and handbags made of cured snake skins showing variegated designs.

Thus for a considerable period of time utility items made of snake skin have formed an important part in the world’s fashion circles. Snake skin is used for making scarfs, belts, shoes, handbags, wallets, purses, cases and a host of other items including sports jackets.

It is also mentioned that in certain parts of the world such as Brazil even expensive books are bound in snake skins.

In neighbouring India snake venom is used in the manufacture of antivenin and the therapeutic uses of cobra venom are known throughout the world. While we in Sri Lanka are agitated even at the mere sight of a snake people in some other countries believe that its flesh is both wholesome and appetizing.

As such in some countries snakes are of much appeal as an article of diet. For instance, pythons are a welcome addition to the diet in some parts of Asia and Africa. People of tropical America accept boas as a rich article of food.

As much as the skins of sea snakes are a rich raw material for the production of ornamental items their flesh is a popular food in Japan. In some other countries snakes figure as a dietary delicacy for special occasions.

In Hongkong, the wealthy Chinese hold a feast with snakes as one of the most important and cherished dishes. In several countries throughout the world snake flesh is sold in cans as a highly priced novelty food for social occasions.

Primitive people carried organs of snakes in amulets and by doing so they believed that they were able to produce miraculous results. Thus snakes have always provided materials for witchcraft and specially brows of medieval medicine used material derived from snakes. In some countries snake oils of all kinds have been a popular unguent for athletics and for various human afflictions.

Writers of sensational fiction have often used snakes in their stories either as guardians of secret places or as weapons of retribution or murder.

Even in early warfare live snakes which were thrown on to the enemies were used for large scale man slaughter. The death dealing activities of snakes have thrown them aside as possessors of supernatural powers and some people believe them to be the incarnations of evil spirits.

Some others admire snakes and adore and worship them as God’s representatives and even today many people in Sri Lanka and India consider the cobra as a national treasure and a symbol of culture and religion.

Particularly the villagers avoid killing snakes and from the ancient times they have protected them. All these facts show that snakes, perhaps the most feared creatures on earth, are also beneficial to mankind. What we lack is a proper understanding of this much dreaded creature of god.