Snakes characteristics are shown in this article, without exception, in nature are predators.You will not find among them any herbivorous species.Menu of these reptiles is quite diverse: they eat almost anything that moves.But even among the snakes found gourmets who prefer other snakes ...!You heard right: the snake-eating snakes - is no exception, and regularity.
Who are the snakes?
Snakes called original group of animals representing the class of reptiles, or reptiles.They are represented by a single detachment - Scaled.All of them - predators.However, among the huge diversity of these animals are found as a harmless and cute creatures and creatures that represent a serious threat to other animals and, of course, people.
inhabited by snakes?
Snake-eating snakes, as well as all other types of man found on almost every continent of the globe.The exception is Antarctica, some large (New Zealand, Ireland) and the small islands of the Atlantic and central Pacific.At present, our planet is home to over 3,000 species of all kinds of snakes.Of these, about one-quarter - are poisonous.Incidentally, all of them combined in 14 families.
What they need poison?
As we noted above, non-poisonous snakes presented a large number of species, rather than poisonous.However, it is not necessary at all to write off the snakes are dangerous to humans.As the name implies, poisonous reptiles use certain toxic - poison.He needed them in the first place to hunt for this or that sacrifice, not for self-defense, as is commonly believed.The venom of some of them are so toxic that easily kill a person.That's why snakes in nature - it is now creeping deadly weapons!
Snakeskin
As a rule, all the body is covered in snake skin or scales.It is worth to make a very important point.Contrary to popular belief the skin of these creatures is completely dry, not moist mucous and, as is commonly believed in the people.Perhaps this confusion has arisen because of the similarity of the conditional snakes with slippery and wet earthworms.
The vast majority of snakes has a specific structure of the skin on the abdomen.It is necessary for them to better adhesion to the surface on which they crawl.Some people believe that these reptiles do not have eyelids.This is not true.They are, but not like in many animals.Eyelids snakes represented transparent scales and always closed.
Are there snakes in white?
They exist.But not as an independent, but as a genetically unique individual.In other words, the white snake - is the most common albino.The most famous albino California.Scientists say that soon they can occupy about 70% of all the inhabited territory of the Canary Islands.
White Snake - this is a rare instance in nature.It can occur in any of the families of these reptiles - snake from a harmless to black mambas and king cobra!Do not confuse these with the albino milk snake, since the latter have completely different coloring of the body.
The snakes eat?
As we noted above, in the nature snake eat almost anything that moves only.They are professionally hunt frogs, rats, shrews, rodents, grasshoppers, birds, antelope, wild boar, crocodiles, etc.When the snake begins to swallow prey, it spreads widely enough so-called branches of the mandible.If the prey - big, reptile could swallow it for a whole hour.
For example, a large snake (reticulated python, anaconda, water boa), first strangled his victim with the help of rings of his body, and then - completely and swallow slowly.One of the most popular treats these reptiles are the eggs of birds.Small snakes, on the contrary, do not apply the techniques of strangulation and even more so do not wait, when their prey dies.They eat small vertebrates and invertebrates still alive.
No wonder they say that any exception proves the rule.That's among the snakes there are exceptions.Although they eat everything, some are very picky in choosing food.For example, the North American green snake eats only spiders, caterpillars, fish and birds.This creature for anything in the world will not touch to the mice and lizards.A small water snakes eat only frogs and fish, terrestrial mammals prefer to not touch at all.
Snake eating snakes
kannibalkoy The most famous is the most dangerous of all snakes - the king cobra.The ration its supply in addition to small mammals and amphibians and a member of his own relatives.King Cobra with pleasure regales smaller snakes.It kills the first victim of the poison, or by means of strangulation, and then swallows it.
Not so long ago, scientists discovered another fact of cannibalism among the snakes, especially rattlesnakes.The fact that these creatures eat their own offspring.Scientists believe that this phenomenon can not be attributed to the pathology of rattlesnakes, and you should not consider it as infanticide, because they eat only dead calves.That is, some rattlesnakes - not just cannibals and scavengers.
Many people do not believe that in nature there are snake-cannibals.However, the nature of which just does not exist!Snake-eating snakes - this is not uncommon, and even no exception.This regularity.If, for example, lizards can eat their young, why snakes can not enjoy their own relatives?Even well-known to all of us already at the event can enjoy ... viper!Here's a natural selection.
