World Snake Day: Four magnificent snakes of India

Every year on July 16, World Snake Day is observed to raise awareness about the variety of snakes all around the world and ways to nurture and protect them.

One of the oldest species of reptiles to dwell on the earth, snakes have earned quite the reputation, often with a negative connotation. From the serpent who tricked Eve, to the myth of Medusa or the house of Slytherin, snakes have instilled fear and fascination and have been a prominent being in mythology and pop culture all around the world as well. But little do we know or care about this crawly formidable friend of ours. For instance, did you know:

• There are around 3500 species in the world out of which only around 600 species are venomous.
• The snake island of Brazil has the densest population of snakes.
• The lifespan of a snake is between 4- 25 years.
• Titanoboa cerrejonensis, were prehistoric snakes whose length was more than 40 feet and weighed more than a ton.

Known as the land of snake charmers, India has around 300 species of snakes, out of which only 50 per cent are venomous. Here is a list of the four most venomous snakes found in India: