Year of the snake

Agencies Published February 9, 2013
Two snakes are seen inside their compartment in wooden cupboards labelled "Poisonous Snakes", at a snake soup store.?Photo by Reuters
Two snakes are seen inside their compartment in wooden cupboards labelled "Poisonous Snakes", at a snake soup store.?Photo by Reuters
Snake meat is seen in a bowl of snake soup served at a snake soup shop in Hong Kong. There are scores of people in Hong Kong who have through generations tamed snakes to make soup out of them, a traditional cuisine believed to be good for the health. Yet the people behind providing fresh snakes for the savoury meal thought to speed up the body's blood flow and keep it strong in the cold winter months may be doomed, with young people increasingly reluctant to take on a job they see as hard and dirty.?Photo by Reuter
Snake meat is seen in a bowl of snake soup served at a snake soup shop in Hong Kong. There are scores of people in Hong Kong who have through generations tamed snakes to make soup out of them, a traditional cuisine believed to be good for the health. Yet the people behind providing fresh snakes for the savoury meal thought to speed up the body's blood flow and keep it strong in the cold winter months may be doomed, with young people increasingly reluctant to take on a job they see as hard and dirty.?Photo by Reuter
Snake figurines are on display in a shop ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations in Manila's Chinatown. The Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, begins on February 10 this year and marks the start of the Year of the Snake.?Photo by Reuters
Snake figurines are on display in a shop ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations in Manila's Chinatown. The Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, begins on February 10 this year and marks the start of the Year of the Snake.?Photo by Reuters
People gather at a Taoist temple in Hong Kong in Hong Kong. A stock market slide, escalated conflict between Japan and China and more Gangnam-styled success for South Korean singer Psy will shape the incoming Year of the Snake, say Asian soothsayers. February 10 marks the first day of the Lunar New Year across the region.?Photo by AFP
People gather at a Taoist temple in Hong Kong in Hong Kong. A stock market slide, escalated conflict between Japan and China and more Gangnam-styled success for South Korean singer Psy will shape the incoming Year of the Snake, say Asian soothsayers. February 10 marks the first day of the Lunar New Year across the region.?Photo by AFP
An employee prepares dishes of fried cobra skin (L) and cobra meat at a snake farm ahead of the Spring Festival in Tainan, southern Taiwan. A dish of fried cobra skin is priced around USD$7. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, begins on February 10 and marks the start of the Year of the Snake, according to the Chinese zodiac.?Photo by Reuters
An employee prepares dishes of fried cobra skin (L) and cobra meat at a snake farm ahead of the Spring Festival in Tainan, southern Taiwan. A dish of fried cobra skin is priced around USD$7. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, begins on February 10 and marks the start of the Year of the Snake, according to the Chinese zodiac.?Photo by Reuters
Pei Hao, 22, plays with one of his 53 pet snakes ahead of the Spring Festival in Wuhan, Hubei province. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, begins on February 10 and marks the start of the Year of the Snake, according to the Chinese zodiac.?Photo by Reuters
Pei Hao, 22, plays with one of his 53 pet snakes ahead of the Spring Festival in Wuhan, Hubei province. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, begins on February 10 and marks the start of the Year of the Snake, according to the Chinese zodiac.?Photo by Reuters
A stuffed snake sits the altar at the Temple of White Snakes in Taoyuan county, in north western Taiwan. Director of the temple Lo Chin-shih said the new year of the snake would be a time of steady progress, in contrast to the more turbulent nature of the outgoing year of the dragon. The Chinese new year fall on Feb. 10.?Photo by AP
A stuffed snake sits the altar at the Temple of White Snakes in Taoyuan county, in north western Taiwan. Director of the temple Lo Chin-shih said the new year of the snake would be a time of steady progress, in contrast to the more turbulent nature of the outgoing year of the dragon. The Chinese new year fall on Feb. 10.?Photo by AP
Visitors stroll near the trees decorated with red lanterns ahead of Chinese New Year celebrations at Ditan Park in Beijing. Chinese will celebrate the Lunar New Year on Feb. 10 this year which marks the Year of Snake.?Photo by AP
Visitors stroll near the trees decorated with red lanterns ahead of Chinese New Year celebrations at Ditan Park in Beijing. Chinese will celebrate the Lunar New Year on Feb. 10 this year which marks the Year of Snake.?Photo by AP
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) members Vera Emrich of Germany, right, and Ashley Fruno of Canada, with their bodies painted to look like snakeskin, display placards during a protest at Manila's Chinatown district of Sta. Cruz ahead of Sunday's Chinese New Year celebration on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013 in Manila, Philippines. In their statement, PETA urge tourists and shoppers to know "that snakes killed for their skins are often decapitated, beaten to death or even skinned alive" and called on interna
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) members Vera Emrich of Germany, right, and Ashley Fruno of Canada, with their bodies painted to look like snakeskin, display placards during a protest at Manila's Chinatown district of Sta. Cruz ahead of Sunday's Chinese New Year celebration on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013 in Manila, Philippines. In their statement, PETA urge tourists and shoppers to know "that snakes killed for their skins are often decapitated, beaten to death or even skinned alive" and called on interna
A man holds a plastic flower as a temple is decorated ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in Bangkok's Chinatown. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, begins on February 10 and marks the start of the Year of the Snake, according to the Chinese zodiac.?Photo by Reuters
A man holds a plastic flower as a temple is decorated ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in Bangkok's Chinatown. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, begins on February 10 and marks the start of the Year of the Snake, according to the Chinese zodiac.?Photo by Reuters
A rare two-year old "coral sun glow" pet snake of a member of the Philippine Snake Society crawls near a rabbit, kept as snake food, on the eve of Lunar New Year celebration at a park in a posh village in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila.?Photo by Reuters
A rare two-year old "coral sun glow" pet snake of a member of the Philippine Snake Society crawls near a rabbit, kept as snake food, on the eve of Lunar New Year celebration at a park in a posh village in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila.?Photo by Reuters
Filipino-Chinese resident and a member of the Philippine Snake Society Patrick Cocabo kisses his pet, a rare two-year old "coral sun glow" snake on the eve of Lunar New Year celebrations at a park in a posh village in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. The Philippine Snake Society consists of Filipino snake owners who gather to share information about rearing snakes as pets. The Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, begins on February 10 this year and marks the start of the Year of the Snake.?Photo by Reuters
Filipino-Chinese resident and a member of the Philippine Snake Society Patrick Cocabo kisses his pet, a rare two-year old "coral sun glow" snake on the eve of Lunar New Year celebrations at a park in a posh village in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. The Philippine Snake Society consists of Filipino snake owners who gather to share information about rearing snakes as pets. The Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, begins on February 10 this year and marks the start of the Year of the Snake.?Photo by Reuters

The Chinese New Year, often referred to as the “Lunar New Year”, will mark the year of the snake on February 10.

Though these creatures may not look elegant or endearing, they remain as an irreplaceable member of our ecosystem. Snakes tend to evoke instant dislike and often fear, because of inhabiting notions on their ferociousness and strength. But these are all due to the incapability to understand what they can and are doing for us.

 

Hopefully, the year of snake will neutralise some of our fear for these slowly endangering reptiles, fear that arises from a lack of understanding.—Photos by Agencies

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