Snakes Not on a Plane, Soon Might Not Be Anywhere

If there’s one lifeform that really needs a better publicist, it’s snakes. Despite their face-biting tendencies, as clearly illustrated at right, snakes serve a vital place in our ecosystem. And now it’s starting to look like they’re dying off.

The problem is really one of data sets; the decline was only noticed because scientists like Chris Reading happened to look at snake populations and noticed 8 out of 17 were dropping, some by 90%. And this was back in 1998, so who knows how bad it’s gotten since? What’s worse is that even when we go to the trouble of setting aside protected areas for snakes, their populations still decline.

Reading is looking for more research, and seeking an explanation. And no, it’s not Chuck Norris. Shame on you. That meme’s deader than Gary Coleman’s career, er, we mean Dana Plato’s car- Er, it’s deader than dead, OK?

Obviously this is the fault of one Samuel L. Jackson.

[ via io9 ]