In a paper published in Biology Letters, a multinational team of researchers, led by Chris Reading of the UK’s Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, describe the ‘alarming’ discovery that most of the 17 snake populations from eight species on which they focused were in decline.

Using long-term datasets going back more than a decade, the scientists were able to demonstrate that eight of the 17 populations fell markedly in size, in same cases by more than 90 per cent. Only one showed evidence of an increase. Species exhibiting declines included the asp and smooth snake in Europe, and the rhinoceros and Gabon vipers and royal or ball python (above) in Africa.

Declines were noted in populations in protected areas, suggesting that habitat destruction wasn’t the only cause. Many of the declines apparently began during 1998, when strong El Niño conditions raised temperatures to the hottest on record, suggesting that climatic factors may be involved.

‘The purpose of this paper was to say, “This is what we’ve found,” and to say to other herpetologists, “Now go out and look at your own data,”’ said Reading. ‘But I think that with so many populations in different places showing decline, it’s more than coincidence.’

August 2010