January 29, 2025 marked the beginning of the Chinese Lunar New Year and entry into the year of the snake, the sixth animal in the progression of the Chinese Zodiac. Each year is also associated with either metal, wood, water, fire, or earth. 2025 is the year of the Wood Snake, which will not occur again in the cycle for 60 years. In the Chinese Zodiac the snake represents intelligence, mystery, and transformation, and wood, symbolizing growth and adaptability, enhances these traits, making this year open to change and new opportunity.
Not only are snakes an amazing and mysterious species in the Chinese Zodiac, but they are just as interesting in nature too! Species of snakes can be found almost anywhere in the world. Common snakes seen around New Jersey include various types of garter snakes, rat snakes, watersnakes, pine snakes, milk snakes, corn snakes, ribbon snakes, and more. New Jersey is officially home to 22 species of snakes. Worldwide, earth is home to over 3000 species of snakes.
I asked Lenape students whether or not they liked snakes, and if so, what their favorite species of snake was. Here were their responses:
Victoria Santiago: “I always found snakes to be fascinating… I’d say my favorite snake is the Rainbow Snake.”
Peyton Wister-Wood: “Yes, I love snakes so much. My favorite type of snake is a Blue Racer.”
Monica Miodunka: “Yes, I can tolerate snakes because they look cool. My favorite is called the King Cobra.”
Cara Antinoff: “Yes, I like snakes. My favorite type is the Arabian Sand Boa because they look like they were drawn by a child.”
Alexis Froelich: “A little bit. Anacondas are chunky and slithery.”
Personally, I think my favorite type of snake is either garter snakes or hognose snakes. It’s hard to pick just one, since there are so many amazing types of snakes out there. Not only are snakes amazing, but they are also crucial to their ecosystem. Snakes play a pivotal role in the food chain to maintain balance as both predators and prey, controlling pest populations like mice, rats, insects, and others, while also being food for higher predators like hawks, owls, badgers, and more.
Most snake species are ambush hunters, attacking their prey with quick strikes, a rapid movement that, on average, can happen in 44 to 70 milliseconds. That’s about a quarter of the time it takes for a human to blink. This incredible movement is thanks to a snake’s 10,000 to 15,000 muscles, many more than a human’s 700 to 800 muscles. Besides their quick strikes, snakes have other extraordinary abilities like mimicry, camouflage, and heat-seeking sight. Some snakes can even fly, gliding from tree to tree without ever touching the ground!
With all of the amazing things snakes can do, imagine all of the things you will be able to do this year, and the opportunities you’ll be able to capture! I hope you have gained a new appreciation for snakes and the role they play in supporting the world around us. Happy New Year!