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Building Awareness of Australia’s Disappearing Wildlife is Important

Blog | January 28th, 2015

With the on-going industrialisation of nearly every stretch of land known to man, more and more animal species are dying in large numbers and at an alarming rate. In the bid for ever-expanding industrialisation, the ecological balance of any given area in any part of the world is largely affected, whether directly or inversely, and more often than not, it is the smaller species that suffer first and take the worst blow.

Snakes are just some of these ‘smaller’ species of animals that are growing rarer by the day, thanks to the ravages of industry. While most people would consider snakes to be pests or ‘creepy crawly’ things, the delicate balance of any area’s ecosystem can be badly affected once snakes and other small animals are removed from the equation. Of the thousands of snake species out there today, nearly half of that amount is endangered, and a goodly number of that half is on the critically endangered species list. This is a serious concern.

While snakes that are left in their natural habitat, untouched by any degree of intentional or unintentional human intervention can, in time, restore their populations. Restoring the populations of endangered species should be a big concern for all humanity, and too accomplish this would be to work to slow the ever-expanding pull of global ‘advancement’. Unfortunately, snakes are losing more of their natural habitat in Australia than ever, and are now considered as ‘terminable pests’, instead of integral parts of an ecosystem.

One of the reasons why people care too little for snakes and other reptiles is because they find these animals fearsome and / or repulsive – never what they actually are – fascinating, elegant, refined, and ancient. Snakes, and by extension, reptiles like lizards, crocodilians, geckos and all their ilk are offshoots of very ancient species of reptiles. Reptiles, which have been around since before recorded human civilizations and deserve to be preserved, less our generation becomes responsible for their extinction.

In the light of their ever-depleting numbers, thanks in part of habitat destruction and the trivialisation of their lives thanks to the pet-shop industries and rare animals trade, a deeper and far more profound increase in the awareness of their necessity within nature is important.

Thankfully, endangered snakes and other reptiles are given a small chance at making it thanks to the efforts of wildlife reserves, conservationist and sanctuaries. In Australia, where the number of rare and endangered species is high, helping to protect and preserve endangered snakes and other reptiles can be increased through education. Preferably hands on education.

At Black Snake Productions, we help to provide greater awareness of the importance of snakes and other reptiles to the environment. With a hands-on approach to learning about these elusive and majestic creatures, we also help to debunk the most common misconceptions about snakes and other reptiles. This is accomplished by stirring up curiosity and interest in people to learn more about these fascinating animals. For more information about Black Snake Productions, please visit: www.blacksnakeproductions.com.au