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Comment by rvz | Hacker News Reader

> So, I love snakes: I think they are the coolest animals out there

No they are not. Said almost no-one.

These creatures contribute almost nothing to society and even if they're used to get rid of pests, there are other animals that do it better without being an extreme danger to humans or they can be safely caught and released.

But instead, these creatures just want to bite, spit or strangle you if they feel like it and in some cases really just want to kill you (because they think you will kill them first).

You cannot reason with these creatures with full of venom in their fangs even if the situation was an accident.

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> These creatures contribute almost nothing to society

Animals have to contribute to society to be useful to the ecology of our planet?

> You cannot reason with these creatures with full of venom in their fangs even if the situation was an accident.

You can't really reason with any creature other than a human, and that's often spotty too!

Snakes are cuties and almost all of them are completely harmless. A great many of them have very sweet and gentle personalities.

We were talking to the reptile caretaker at the Abu Dhabi zoo and we learnt that

- snakes are actually cuties. And more like babies. They do not have strong fight or flight ability like mammals. If they get hurt, they go into a corner and just give up

- they're extremely misunderstood beings. When a snake is hissing, it is because it it actually very very frightened.

- their eye sight is very very bad. They detect mostly by that body heat. And they've a very hard time detecting friends vaa foes. A ball python actually curls into a ball when tensed up. The caretaker had to pet the snake to help it relax.

- most of that snakes are non venomous.

I am incredibly afraid of snakes, and living in Australia that’s not an unfounded fear. Yet even I recognise this is an abhorrent and arrogant take. Nature does not need to serve us to earn its existence.

That is interesting and I think it's a popular opinion. I think in line with the Epic of Gilgamesh or the Old Testament.

But allow me present another opinion.

Snakes don't do things they don't have to do. They don't kill for no reason (cf humans, cats). They do what they have to do, without much emotion or fanfare. They shed their skin and don't carry extra weight. In other cultures, a snake is a symbol of wisdom, rebirth and healing (eg the rod of Asclepius).

Outside the symbolic arguments, I think snake venom does have some research use (eg blood thinners) and some would argue snakes are mechanically cool.

Just another perspecive ofc, and I respect yours.

In the end, snakes want to survive in a competitive world.

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