Most of us look at the snake as a dangerous and dominant part of the food chain. However, snakes have a range of natural enemies. For different species of the snake, surviving in the wild can be a struggle. The juvenile snakes and the eggs are incredibly vulnerable to the threat of predators. The veld monitor and the water monitor lizards are the primary hunters of the snake eggs. They can easily devour a whole batch. With these many enemies, it is no longer surprising that snakes prefer to move in areas that allow them to conceal their presence.
What Animal Eats Snakes?
Bush Babies, monkeys, baboons, and honey badgers love the exquisite taste of the snake's egg. For juvenile snakes, they are prone to the attack of carnivore mammals. A variety of lizards and birds can also attack them. Other snake species can also target them for an easy meal. The survival rate of the baby snakes is too low since the predators will take a number of juveniles when attacking. Don't think that they will be safe from the threat of your domestic cat. Cats are pretty good at killing baby snakes.
The adult snakes will also be attacked by a range of predators, particularly birds of prey like the owl, hawks, ground hornbills, and secretary birds. Different mammals are also brave enough to treat snakes as their lunch, like the mongoose and the honey badgers. Honey badgers can quickly kill adult snakes. The mongoose, on the other hand, is not as efficient in killing the snakes. Most mongoose will prefer attacking the juveniles rather than dealing with an adult snake. According to the study, it is improbable for the mongoose to have an adverse impact on the population of the snake. Additionally, mongoose will also eat a variety of meals apart from snakes.
Will Snake Eat Snakes?
Perhaps one of the most significant threats to snakes would be the other species of snake. If given the opportunity, boomslang, cobra, grass snake, and the sand snake will prey on the adult snake. Snakes appear to have a resistance to the venom of other snakes and immunity against their own venom. For instance, the cobra will be bitten by puff adder in the process but will not show any adverse effect. Even a non-venomous snake like the file snake will be fine after eating a venomous snake.
How Do Snakes Protect Themselves from the Predator?
Different species of snakes have developed a range of survival strategies. The baby snakes will keep a very low profile and eat as much as possible to encourage growth. This process helps reduce the number of predators that are eyeing them. Adult snakes will bury their body in loose soil to blend in with the environment. They will also move in areas that give them a lot of options to hide.
The biggest enemy of the snakes is us. Humans harvest the skin of the snake to turn them into fashion accessories. The meat of the snake is also treated as a delicacy by some cultures. Even their bones and fangs can be made into an accessory.
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