Batesian Mimicry: The Main Cause Of Non-Venomous Snake Death In Odisha

Snakes are the integral part of ecosystem. Some non-poisonous snakes undergo Batesian mimicry in order to escape from their predators. But this mechanism acts as a Boomerang. This often leads these harmless species towards their death. People kill these snakes considering as venomous. It was found that mimicry is the main cause of non-venomous snake depletion in Odisha. Barred wolf snake, common kukri snake and sand boa were the snakes found to be killed due to their mimetic mechanism. In state like Odisha where snakes are being worshipped in temple, this type of brutal killing of snakes is not acceptable. So there is an urgent need to create awareness among people of Odisha regarding the value of snakes.