Ireland has no snakes due to a legend that Saint Patrick eradicated them, but scientists believe the surrounding waters and cold climate may have prevented snakes from migrating there. India has the highest number of snakebite fatalities, while there are over 3,000 species of snakes in the world.
Ireland is a European country that has no snakes and only one native reptile: the lizard. An Irish legend holds that the country is snake-free because of the patron Saint Patrick, who eradicated all reptiles by chasing them out to sea as he converted the country from paganism to Christianity in the 5th century AD. Scientists believe there is no evidence from Ireland that has ever had snakes at any point in history because the surrounding waters may have made it too difficult for snakes to migrate there after the ice age. Ireland’s cold climate may not even have been favorable enough for the snakes to make the effort to travel there.
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India is the country with the highest number of snakebites fatalities, with an estimated one million fatalities each year due to the large snake population, while Ireland has zero reports of snakebites.
There are over 3,000 species of snakes in the world – South Africa alone has over 160 different types of snakes.
Snakes live on all continents of the world except Antarctica.
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