Buzz
Although snakes might give us the creeps, they generally stay out of our homes more effectively than the very rodents they hunt.
Jeff McGraw/ThinkStockMain Points
- Removing snakes could result in a surge in rodent numbers, potentially worsening problems like crop damage and spreading diseases akin to the bubonic plague.
- Snakes are vital in the food chain, acting as predators to small mammals and prey for larger creatures, including certain bird species, coyotes, and even other snakes, which helps maintain ecological balance.
- Snake venom plays an important role in medical research, aiding in the development of treatments for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer, underscoring the unexpected consequences of eradicating snakes from ecosystems.
The fearless (albeit fictional) adventurer Indiana Jones shares a fear that many people can relate to: "Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?" he exclaims upon discovering the chamber holding the Ark of the Covenant in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Fear of snakes is so widespread that it even has a name: ophidiophobia. It's likely that many would prefer snakes simply vanish, perhaps in the same manner as the legend of St. Patrick banishing them from Ireland.
While the story of St. Patrick driving snakes out of Ireland is purely mythical, there are other places around the globe where snakes are notably absent — such as New Zealand, Antarctica, Iceland, and Greenland — and life continues without issue [source: Owen]. So, why not eradicate snakes everywhere? The reality is, removing all snakes would lead to a series of unforeseen problems.
First, the fear of mice and rats — musophobia — would likely skyrocket. We all fit into the food chain — that intricate web of life that helps maintain balance. Consider what snakes primarily consume: mice and rats. You might be terrified of snakes, but imagine a world overrun by rodents. A single pair of rats can produce millions of offspring in just a year and a half [source: Smith].
The bubonic plague, or Black Death, is believed to have originated in China, where rodents and the fleas they carried infected travelers along key trade routes to Europe. Fearing that cats and dogs — which also hunt rodents — were spreading the plague, many were killed, leading to an increase in the rodent population. Wiping out all snakes could lead to a similar issue, especially given that the bubonic plague was never fully eradicated. In fact, the plague reappeared in modern times, killing several people in Madagascar in 2008, though no one blamed the outbreak on a lack of snakes [source: CDC].
In the next tier of our food chain, snakes serve as prey for animals we generally prefer to have around, such as all species of cats, coyotes, mongooses, and even other snakes. A sudden absence of snakes could disrupt the balance, potentially harming various other creatures [source: Smith].
Perhaps most significant for humans is the role of venom produced by snakes and other venomous animals in advancing medicine. Medications for diabetes and heart disease have been derived from snake venom, and it is also being explored for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, cancer, and pain [source: Holland]. It almost makes snakes seem... a bit more lovable, doesn't it?
So, the next time you find yourself asking, like Indiana Jones, why it had to be snakes, take a moment to think about the possible alternatives.
