World Snake Day 2020: Videos Of Reptiles That Went Viral

World Snake Day is observed annually July 16 in order to raise awareness about the prominent role that the reptiles play in maintaining ecological balance.

Not many people know that there are over 35,000 species of snakes in the world, of which only about 600 are poisonous. Hence, the day is also observed to raise awareness about the richness of the snake species.

“The mention of a snake doesn’t evoke the same emotion as does the mention of a dog or a cat. Most people are scared of snakes and the fear stems from the unfamiliarity. So, the immediate reaction on seeing a snake is to either kill it or run away from it,” Ashad Choudary, a member of the non-profit organization Friends of Snake Society (FOSS), told Indian newspaper The Hindu.

On this day, we bring to you some of the snake videos that went viral on social media.

• In May, a video of a Texas high school cheerleader getting bitten by a copperhead snake went viral on Twitter, with the original video garnering over 13,000 views. In the video, Paris Montgomery can be seen practicing routines in her backyard when she accidentally steps on the reptile.

• In February, a video of a brown snake and a redback spider wrestling in the backyard of a home in Australia garnered views. In the video, the highly venomous spider can be seen “taking on” the reptile before eventually killing it.
• In January, the Pembroke Pines Police Department in Florida posted a video of its officers removing a snake from inside a car. The department said a woman was driving when she noticed a snake inside the vehicle. The rat snake was safely removed by the officers. The video was viewed over 15,000 times.

• In December last year, an eastern brown snake bit a seasoned catcher while he was live-streaming the rescue operation on Facebook. The snake catcher was rushed to the hospital by paramedics and was discharged the following day. Meanwhile, the video garnered over 99,000 views.
• In September, a video of two Indian man rescuing a cobra that was stuck in a beer can went viral. The two men cut the can with a knife and rescued the snake.