We naturally do not approach animals that we know to be deadly poisonous. Even if it is not poisonous, we think that no one would want to go and greet a tiger walking in the forest. But when it comes to spectacle, we see such animals being controlled by humans, at least in appearance.
Especially when we go to the eastern parts, we witness unbelievable shows with wild animals. Making snakes dance with wind instruments is one of the highlights of these shows. So, are the snakes really dancing, or are there different backgrounds?
Snakes do not have ears as we know them. So most of the time they can’t hear the sound:
In this context, there is only one bone in their inner ear, which is connected to the jawbones. This part, which is naturally on the ground as they crawl, also allows them to feel the vibrations. In other words, when a predator approaches a snake, it can detect it with vibrations, even if it does not hear its voice. Some snakes can also pick up sound waves that reach them through the air, but their frequency range is quite low.
The most common type of cobra is used in the shows we mentioned. Let’s go over it:
Cobras are known for standing upright and taking a defensive position before attacking directly. At this point they can be seen hissing across and following his movements. During this stance, which indicates that they are ready to attack, they can hiss fearfully, and some species can throw venom at their prey without the need to bite.
In other words, they do not attack directly as soon as they come face to face with their prey.
This is why snake charmers are not directly attacked when they open the lid of the container with snakes:
We know that cobras are not friendly. We have just explained that they do not react to music in the hearing part. So why do these animals look like they are dancing?
Most snakes are known to have difficulty seeing details. In other words, although they notice the shape of the prey, they have difficulty when it comes to detail. The situation is similar in cobras. Wind instruments moving in front of them when they stand upright are also perceived as a threat and follow its movements.
So even though they seem to be moving with the music, they’re actually just watching what they see as a potential threat.
So what do those who move snakes do in the face of this danger?
It is quite normal for these animals, taken from the natural environment and placed in small containers, to be aggressive. For this reason, those who do this work take a few protective measures. These include such disparate things as the crushing of snakes’ jaws and the inconspicuous stitching of the mouth.
You can express your thoughts on the subject in the comments section.
Sources: Herpamura, Popular Science, Washington Post, Live Science
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