Snakes are the least understood animals on the planet. They are elusive, mostly dangerous, and experts know surprisingly quite little about them. These slithering reptiles are known for their adaptability, and diversity. They are revered in many societies, and feared in others. Although a vast majority of them don’t seek to harm, they are feared mostly. And due to their elusive nature, it is nearly impossible to estimate their total population. As researchers point out, relatively few concerted efforts have been made to estimate the combined number of snakes in any country; primarily because it would be impractical to do so. What scientists can measure, though, is the count of known species of snakes documented inside national areas.
Records suggest that there are more than 3,500 snake species worldwide. Only 600 or so are venomous, and a mere 200 species are capable of inflicting serious harm, or worse, on a human. Based on a list of species-count data prepared by researchers in wildlife and biodiversity, below are the top countries with the most recorded snake species in the world.
While the number of species provide useful information, the actual population figures for snakes are not known. Snakes are elusive and a lot of them are being killed due to fear and misunderstanding. But ecologically, snakes are essential in the tight control of rodent populations and in keeping food chains balanced. (Data sourced from World Population Review)
