Snakes In The Road

Stephen came home from work a couple evenings ago with a very sad story, or at least it was in my mind. While Stephen was at work, a local snake decided to cross the shopping center parking lot. Although this does NOT speak highly of said snake's intelligence, I am a snake owner and I realize that they are not usually thinking of anything other than getting out of the hot sunlight, where to find a good sleeping spot, or where their next field mouse is coming from. I highly suspect that REALLY hot pavement is not where this snake really wanted to be. But, back to the story.

Stephen said the snake was somewhere in the parking lot and this person in a car tried to run it over. *GASP* Why would someone do that. He sadly explained the story was about to get worse. The person, who missed the snake with the car on the first run at it, TURNED the car around, and tried again. The person kept going around in circles until they finally ran over the poor snake. End product? A snake that was squished to the point it popped out the eggs that it was carrying. *EGADS*

No matter what we personally think of snakes, my grandfather told me once that we need to be respectful of all things. We were in the Hocking Hills region of Southern Ohio walking near their house. Near the side of the road was a nest of baby copperhead snakes... with the mother about a foot away COMPLETELY dead. The babies were totally adorable (Yes, I know they are poisonous), but my grandfather pointed out, without a parent snake, they were going to die. I felt so sad. How could something so beautiful, so small, just die. My grandfather, wise man that he could be, used this as a teaching moment. He said that all animals have a reason for existing and that no one should just out and out kill an animal because it exists... just to kill it. He explained that, for food, it is okay to kill. He explained that it not okay to set fire to the copperhead nest or run over the copperhead JUST because it is there. And, sometimes we run over animals that dart across the road. He said we can feel bad... but that accidents happen. Burning out a snake nest is not an accident. He went on to explain that, although poisonous, Copperheads have a reason for being. They eat mice, frogs and toads, insects (like. cicadas), caterpillars, and salamanders. They do not transmit diseases to humans. Although they are pit vipers, they are normally non-aggressive. Their greatest threat to survival? Although eaten by hawks and King snakes, the human being is their greatest threat to survival. We destroy their habitats. And, 9 times out of 10, the Copperhead doesn't strike the target. It just wants people to go away and leave them alone. It is more like a "go away" greeting.

Anyways, I always remembered those baby snakes. I secretly suspect my grandfather went back and killed the babies in a mercy killing type fashion. But, I don't think he did it to kill to just kill. The person in the parking lot may have been petrified by snakes. But, this snake was likely not poisonous. There was NO need to circle multiple times to try to hit the snake. This is the same kind of person who would be mortified hearing on the news that someone had hit a dog and run away. As a snake owner, I understand the fear that people have concerning snakes. GROWN adults have seen my snake and screamed like children in fear that it could get out (it is in a rather large LOCKED cage). Very unlikely. He isn't slimy or gross. He doesn't want to hurt anyone and is more curious about where his next meal is coming from than bothering you. He serves a purpose. The snake in the parking lot served a purpose (and not as road kill). Those unborn eggs may have served a purpose. But, this experience has left me feeling sad that other people can be so callous about life. Maybe more people need to realize, even if we don't like the animal, it probably has some good. Walk away, don't look back. Let it live to do its thing!