Snakes and humans are made from the same material

Jan 21, 2024 Features / Columnists, Interesting Creatures:, News, Waterfalls Magazine

Interesting creatures – Snakes

By Shervin Belgrave

Waterfalls Magazine – In Guyanese parlance and other parts of the Caribbean, people would metaphorically refer to their enemies as “snakes”- especially their ex-spouses or lovers – to offend them because no one likes being compared to such a scary, venomous and lethal creature.

Although most of us hate snakes and want nothing to do with them, the reptiles and human beings are biologically made of the same material.

This similarity with humans stands out as one of the 10 most interesting facts about snakes this writer is going to share with you today.

While the reptiles are very different from humans, one of the most notable similarities is that their skin/scales are made out of keratin, just like our own fingernails and hair. According to research done by World Animal Protection, an organisation founded in 1981 to advocate for animal rights, the snake’s skin feels very similar to human fingernails and while snakes shed their scales, we humans also shed hair daily and can also shed a fingernail if its injured.

The difference is that we tend to cut our hair and clip our fingernails while molting or shedding is a natural occurring process for snakes.

Another interesting fact about snakes is that they have a very big family and can be found in every country across the globe.

A recent count revealed that there are some 3,789 snake species on the planet, making them the second largest group of reptiles after lizards. They are divided into 30 different families and numerous sub-families.

Another interesting fact is that while reptiles lay eggs not all snakes do. Snakes living in colder climates have live births because the eggs wouldn’t survive outside of their bodies.

Snakes also do not have eyelids and this contribute to that appearance that gives us an eerie feeling. Not having eyelids means that snakes don’t blink and for this reason, they sleep with their eyes open. To protect their eyes, snakes have a thin membrane called “brille” attached to each one.

Apart from sleeping with open eyes, snakes don’t use their nostrils to smell. To sniff out food, they use their tongue, an organ in the roof their mouth called the “Jacobson’s organ” and instead chewing their meal, snakes swallow them whole.

Last but not least, snakes are solar powered meaning that they rely on external heat and light sources for energy. The correct term for this is that snakes are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature is variable and regulated by external sources. Unlike mammals and birds that are able to internally regulate their body temperature, reptiles need to use sources of heat, like the sun, to warm up.

Source of information: https://www.worldanimalprotection.ca/news/10-cool-facts-about-snakes

https://foldscope.com/blogs/blog/foldscope-explores-snake-skin