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There are more than 2,700 snakes varieties spread all over the world in temperate and warm climates; the only part of the globe where snakes cannot live is Antarctica. Snakes vary in size from a few centimeters to more than nine meters in the case of the anacondas or the pythons. Poisonous snakes are far less numerous in this huge reptile family, but venom they inject in prey is so powerful that it could cause the death of a human being within a few minutes. Chronological research indicates that, the history and origins of snakes go back to the Cretaceous period, some 150 million years ago, when it appears that snakes evolved from a lizard and adapted to a different living habitat.

Primitive distinctive marks of this ancestry are still present with some snakes, this is the case with pythons and boas that still have vestiges of hind limbs, which only point to a past when snakes resembled lizards a lot more. Snakes or serpents are present in all cultures, carrying symbolic meanings and being widely illustrated in the arts. Mankind hunted down or worshiped snakes throughout its history; yet, modern attitudes are partly different towards snakes particularly under the emphasis of the ecological movements that insist on the importance of these creatures for the environment of the planet. And they couldn't be more right.

There are many aspects in the life of snakes that fascinate scientists and indicate that not everything has been discovered about the many existing species. Thus, it is interesting to study how the patterns on the body of snakes differentiate between individuals even within the same species. Then, snakes' response to vibrations, the superior sense of smell and even the perception of low frequency sounds indicate the fact that snakes are fascinating. The same amount of scientific respect is due in terms of anatomical programing by the presence of the infrared sensitive receptors that allow pit vipers for instance to detect the warmth of the prey's body.

Snakes share their habitat with us, and people from areas with a higher variety of snake groups and sub-groups should learn to distinguish between the hazardous or harmless varieties, and thus avoid them accordingly. Non-venomous snakes could also bite and injure one seriously when threatened, therefore, a avoidance and respect of the snakes' habitat remain the most effective prevention means. Do not try to kill, catch or hunt snakes: they will never come after you for the sake of just biting. Be extremely cautious when keeping snakes as pets.

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