site.btaWorld Snake Day on July 16 Raises Awareness of Keystone Species

July 16 is World Snake Day, aimed at raising awareness of the species feared by many but playing a key role in ecosystems. The day has been celebrated annually since 2011 to also draw attention to conservation efforts, because snake populations are in decline worldwide due to habitat loss, disease, and climate change.

In an interview for BTA, Prof Radostina Alexandrova from the Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences said that there are over 3,500 species of snakes in the world. In Bulgaria, they number 17 species.

Only 600 of the snake species are venomous, she specified. In Bulgaria, people should watch out for the horned viper (Vipera ammodytes) and the common European viper (Vipera berus).

Prof Alexandrova, who is a biologist and virologist, said snake venom usually contains 20 to over 100 components, some 90% of which are peptides and proteins. The contents vary significantly between species and even within one and the same species.

Despite snake bites affecting millions of people across the globe each year, snake venom is valuable for medicine and helps save thousands of lives every day, Prof Alexandrova underscored. Wide-used medicinal products for cardiovascular diseases are based on compounds found in snake venom, she noted.

Snakes are also important for maintaining the balance of ecosystems; they participate in the cycle of nutrients and the energy flow in them, the expert noted. Snakes feed on insects and agricultural pests, and themselves serve as food to bigger predators, including bigger snakes. The presence of snakes is indicative of a healthy ecosystem.