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Snakes are one of the very familiar animals of our nature.
Snakes are found in every continent of the world, except Antarctica.
Though various species of snakes live both in water and land, most of them are found on land.
Some species of terrestrial snakes prefer to live in trees and hence are called arboreal snakes.
People are ever curious about this appendage free reptile.
People also fear the snakes.
Many snake species in Bangladesh are now on the brink of extinction due to killing and habitat destruction caused by lack of proper knowledge.
The snakes are mainly of two types; venomous and non-venomous.
Most of these two types of snakes are now threatened.
The snake found in the forests, villages, croplands or homesteads in our country is Cobra.
There are three species of Cobra found in this country known as Monocled Cobra, Spectacled Cobra and King Cobra.
The Monocled Cobra has a rectangular mark behind its head.
The Spectacled Cobra has a mark like a spectacle behind the head.
Its body color may be black or brown.
Another Cobra found in our country is the largest venomous snake species in the world.
It is known as King Cobra.
The King Cobra is found in Sylhet, Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sundarbans in our country.
All these three species of Cobras threaten their enemy by raising hood when angry or in need of defense.
Krait is also a venomous snake.
They are nocturnal.
They generally prefer to stay near wetlands in the plain land.
But they are now threatened due to filling up of the wetlands and arbitrary killing.
Bright green Pit Vipers are found in the Sundarbans and in the hilly forests of Sylhet and Chittagong.
Another venomous snake, Red-neck Keelback is found in the hilly forests of Northeast and Southeast regions of our country.
Apart from these, there are some sea snakes.
Though some venomous snakes are present in our country, majority of the snakes are non-venomous.
Among these species there are Python, Ratsnake, Vine Snake, Keelback, Wolf Snake, Ornate Flying Snake, Trinket Snake etc. along with some arboreal snakes.
The Python is one of the largest snakes.
They can be seen in different forests and adjacent localities.
The Keelbacks and Vine snakes are commonly seen in almost everywhere.
These snakes are frequently being killed in spite of being non-venomous.
Though these snakes were common in Bangladesh before, presently their population has declined alarmingly.
Due to destruction of natural habitats and killing, the snakes are now endangered.
Various valuable drugs are produced from snake venom.
So venomous snakes are being captured from the wild to collect the venom, which is another reason of being endangered.
The snakes are playing vital role in our ecosystem.
All species of snakes are not found in one place, and the presence of specific snake species in specific area indicates the good health of the ecosystem there.
Venomous snakes are saving our crops by feeding on rodents and other harmful animals and at the same time are playing vital role in maintaining the environmental balance.
But due to deforestation and clearing the bushes around the homesteads the snakes are losing their habitats.
Their breeding grounds are also being affected.
As a result, the overall ecosystem is being affected.
So we all should come forward to conserve the snakes.
Only then our nature will remain healthy.