Snakes: Least Important Animals

[Pinkie]

Just listening to a discussion on Triple J about Animal Liberation and Rights, etc. A 'so-called' expert and veterinarian ran through a list of which animals were thought by the public to be most important to least important to treat nicely, eg: Which animals should you treat better than other animals?

To my disgust, SNAKES were listed as the absolute LEAST IMPORTANT!!! (Even insects were above snakes).

What does everyone think about this??

[stretch]

You're asking a group of herpers what they think about it? hehehe I can tell you what their answers are going to be! hehehe

A majority of the public see snakes as evil bitey things with big nashy nashy teeth and do no equate them with cuddly fluffy lap pets. Okay, so they are not fluffy, but I get just as much enjoyment out of my pythons and lizards as I do my dogs and cats!

It's basically a society majority thing. The average Joe on the street doesn't think of them as pets.

We should take it as a very positive sign that the general public needs more education on the issue!

My own personal opinion is that all animals should be treated with the same respect and protection and that discrimination should not be an issue.

Sue
PS: Sounds like the expert was just reading a survey too.

[sarahbell]

well some people are just d@#$heads who neen to be alittle more educated in herps

i'v been doing my best to educated every one i know and i happy to say that they all respect snakes and no longer go looking for shovels when they see one

[Pinkie]

I had just thought the opinion of snakes in the general public's eye have risen (at least above insects!!) in the last 10 years or so.

I guess I was wrong!! I think that list was so outrageous...

What about sharks?? I love sharks, I think they are wonderful creatures but I would assume that the average Joe would like them a lot less that snakes....

[roadkill5000]

hey pinkie what was at the top of the list :

[Nicole]

I wish I was surprised Pinkie. :-(

[Pinkie]

The top of the list was primates, great apes, humans, etc.

Oh what! Nah that is wrong I would have let anyone rough handle my ex before my snakes.

[Vat69]

That fact that they even spent money doing such a trivial survey is what's the worst thing (to me)..actually wait, theycould being doing it as a social survey type thing for a uni/institution..nah,I still think there's better ways to spend time and money.

[Magpie]

Yeah well, people are usually willing to let grasshoppers, slaters and such live in their back yards. Not so with most herps, even bluetongues and stuff. Also doesn't help that people relate reptile to 6foot taipan, not frill neck lizard.

[Hawkeye]

I am presuming they were working on the principle that if you removed that grouip of animals from the ecosystem then how badly would it be affected. Insects then definitely get higher as they are a large food source. Primates etc would be very low although humans stuff up the environment so much that get a rid of them and there would be huge change for good (god damn I'm becoming a tree hugging hippee).

Sharks are the best in my opinion, I get to dive with them a fair bit around Sydneys swimming beaches (that'll scare you) and they are probably the most honest animals on the planet...you piss them off and they are hungry they eat you! You leave them alone and they do their own thing.

I am tryinf to get some good video of the Grey Nurse sharks off Maroubra (when I get some time) and I have been told that I can get $1000US per second if I get video of them feeding. I am not quite sure how brave I am about that!

Go the sharks, go snakes.......less snakes more rats/mice/gerbils etc etc

Cheers Hawkeye

[Pinkie]

Thats cool Hawkeye, I have 2 good friend who work in a diveshop at Cronulla and they instruct a lot of shark dives!

The point of the survey, well it was based on "respect", how much respect the animal deserves, and which animals we should treat better than others, ie. be nicer to dogs but kick cats in the head, etc... SOrt of like which animals have more rights than others!

As far as I know it had nothing to do with ecological value, if it did, you're right it would be a different story

[Hawkeye]

Sorry pinkie,

Misread the first message:

Re-read, change my opinion to "The guys a ****er"

Cheers Hawkeye