Like all other animals, snakes are important members of the natural community and have an important ecological role to play. As predators, snakes feed on a variety of other small animals, including rodents, insects, and many others. This is part of nature's plan to limit the populations of these prey animals. Snakes themselves are an important food item for many other larger animals. As humans, we often do not appreciate or understand the complex web of nature and take it upon ourselves to eliminate or persecute those species that we personally do not care for.
Snakes are generally unpopular animals even among many nature enthusiasts.
But if you arm yourself with a little knowledge about these fascinating reptiles, you might even find yourself looking forward to your next summertime encounter with a snake. This article may be reproduced for classroom use by students and educators but may not be reprinted otherwise without written consent from the Nature Center.