Fort Smith Times Record
Just the name sends shivers up many people s spines. But a little education can go a long way in protecting yourself and the misunderstood, slithering snake.
Ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, is listed among the most common fears in America. More than half of the U.S. population is afraid of snakes, according to a 2001 Gallup poll. And a 2013 National Institutes of Health study found that the human brain is evolutionarily conditioned to be afraid of snake-like forms.
Although the notion of a good snake, like the Speckled Kingsnake, is becoming more common because they eat venomous snakes, it is not as commonly accepted in Arkansas that even venomous snakes have their rightful place in the ecosystem.