Date: 4/12/2022

To: Citizens of South Carolina

From: Conor Joye
Subject: Unnecessary Persecution of Snakes
Distribution List: SC DNR Public Outreach Team

This memo reviews information that could help to prevent the persecution of snakes
native to South Carolina. Due to horror stories of venomous snake bites, negative portrayals of
snakes in pop culture, and misinformation, many people throughout South Carolina and the
world have a fear and/or hatred of snakes. This has resulted in people unnecessarily killing them,
which causes problems for native snake populations and the function of the beautiful ecosystems
that we have in South Carolina. Most snake species do not pose serious threats to humans and the
species that do typically only strike humans in self-defense. This memo will discuss safety
around snakes, how to differentiate venomous snakes and non-venomous snakes, and why snakes
should be valued by humans.

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Contrary to popular belief, most snake species are not dangerous to humans and rarely strike Formatted: Font: Times New Roman, Bold
humans unless they feel threatened or are provoked. It is possible for humans and snakes to Formatted: Indent: First line: 0"
coexist if humans take safety precautions to avoid snake bites. When outdoors it is important to
be aware of your surroundings and to have a flashlight when walking at night as snakes are often
active on warm nights. Also, if you encounter a snake, give it the right of way. If you attempt to
pick it up or kill it, it could strike you. It is also important to be aware how to differentiate
venomous and non-venomous snakes. Venomous snakes often have vertical or elliptical pupils, a
triangular shaped head with pits, and are very colorful or have distinct patterns. Non-venomous
snakes usually have circular pupils, a rounded head, and a less colorful or distinct pattern on its
body. People should refrain from killing snakes as they play a very important role in ecosystems
in South Carolina and around the world. Many snake species are significant parts of food webs
and help to maintain balance in ecosystems. Also, snakes provide the service of pest control to
humans and can help diminish unwanted rodent and insect populations.

Avoiding Snake-Human Conflict and Reducing Snake Persecution Formatted: Font: Times New Roman, Bold, Font color:
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Safety Around Snakes Formatted: Font: Times New Roman, Bold, Font color:
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 It is key to take safety precautions when in areas where snakes may be present.
Many snake bites that occur are caused by human carelessness. When outdoors it is important to
be conscious of your surroundings and have a flashlight when outdoors at night. Always watch
where you step or put your hands. Also, it is helpful to avoid walking through tall and thick
grasses without protection for your legs and feet. If you do encounter a snake, the safest thing to
do is to keep a safe distance and let it pass. Do not walk near it, attempt to pick it up, or attempt
to kill it. Snakes are very unlikely to strike when unprovoked.

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Many people fear snakes because they assume that they are
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venomous and capable of harming them. However, most snakes
are not venomous, and it is easy to differentiate a venomous
snake from a non-venomous snake. Venomous snakes typically
have an elliptical pupil, a pit near their nostril that helps with
prey detection, elongated fangs, and a triangular head. Non-
venomous snakes typically have a round eye and pupil, no pit,
smaller teeth, and a rounded head. If you encounter a venomous
snake, keep your distance, and do not harass it. Venomous
snakes rarely strike humans without being provoked. Being
aware of these differences can prevent you or others from being
harmed by venomous snakes and can also prevent snakes from
being needlessly killed.

Figure 1: Guide to differentiating

venomous and non-venomous snakes

Snakes Provide Benefits to Ecosystems and Humans Formatted: Font: Times New Roman, Bold, Font color:
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Snakes rarely get credit for the pivotal role that they play in ecosystems around the world. They
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help to create balance in ecosystems and a decline in snake abundance would be a detriment to
the natural world. Snakes are both a predator and prey for many species. Many mammals, birds,
and even other snakes rely on snakes for nutrition. Also, larger snakes help to prevent
populations of other species from getting out of control. Snakes are helpful to humans as well
because they help to control pest populations. Many snakes feed on rodents and insects that can
cause harm to humans and property damage.

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Snakes are feared and hated by many people in South Carolina and the world. However, this is Formatted: Indent: First line: 0"
largely due to misinformation. Most snake species are harmless to humans when left
unprovoked. When outdoors, it is extremely important to be aware of your environment to
prevent an encounter with a snake. If an encounter occurs, a conflict can be prevented if the
snake is not further encroached. Also, it is important to be able to differentiate venomous and
non-venomous snakes in the event of a snake encounter. Being able to accurately assess the
danger of the situation could save your life as well as the snake’s. Despite popular belief, snakes
are very important to our ecosystems and even keep pest populations under control. Snake
persecution is unnecessary and harmful to our environment. By educating yourself and taking
proper precautions, snake persecution can be ended, and snake-human conflicts can be reduced.

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I recommend that the SC DNR run a campaign to better inform the public on snake safety and Formatted: Indent: First line: 0"
the benefits that snakes provide to the natural world and to humans. It is the SC DNR’s duty to
prevent unnecessary harm and killing of wildlife. I recommend that the SC DNR use social
media as its primary tool to educate the public. This includes platforms such as Facebook,
Instagram, and Twitter. With a better educated public, snake persecution and snake bites should
heavily decrease. I also recommend that the SC DNR survey residents of South Carolina using
online ads and mailed questionnaires before and after this campaign is run. This could help to get
a better sense of attitudes towards snakes throughout the state and how effective the campaign
was. Knowing if the campaign was effective could also help the SC DNR to improve their public
outreach and social media strategies in the future.
References

Buck, W. by A. (2022, January 29). Venomous vs non-venomous snake: What's the difference?
AZ Animals. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://a-z-animals.com/blog/venomous-vs-
non-venomous-snake/

The DOS and don'ts of snake safety. www.army.mil. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2022, from
https://www.army.mil/article/235084/the_dos_and_donts_of_snake_safety#:~:text=Snakes
%20like%20to%20crawl%20along,are%20protected%20on%20one%20side.&text=Avoid
%20wandering%20around%20in%20the,are%20active%20on%20warm%20nights.&text=
Never%20try%20to%20pick%20up,even%20if%20it%20is%20dead.

Why snakes? Save The Snakes. (2022, February 1). Retrieved April 6, 2022, from
https://savethesnakes.org/why-snakes/