Snakes are adorable. Period. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees.

Conservation efforts to protect snakes are disproportionately underfunded and understudied compared to traditionally “cuter” or “more graceful” animals like elephants, tigers, and penguins. But snakes are an equally vital part of our earthly ecosystem.

So, I traveled to Sri Lanka to meet Tharanga Dasanayake, a Save The Snakes Conservation Partner, whose research into the endemic Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper (Peltopelor  trigonocephalus) aims to raise awareness about snake conservation.

Over the past three years, Tharanga and her team have been gathering data across the country using visual encounter surveys in over 50 locations. Between remote monitoring and field expeditions, they recorded 68 individuals across three climate zones: wet, dry, and intermediate.

Tharanga’s research into the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper revealed intriguing insights into the species’ habitat use and genetic mutations. Yet it also brought to light several concerning elements that are missing or overlooked in global snake conservation.

Here, I break down four key lessons that must inform future snake conservation efforts.

Key Takeaways

• The Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper is facing habitat reductions of up to a third by 2040, largely caused by climate change.
• Raising awareness and understanding of snakes will reduce intentional killings and protect populations.
• Peltopelor trigonocephalus prefers microhabitats with specific characteristics, such as high humidity, low light, dense canopy cover, ambient temperatures, and proximity to streams.
• More research will help us better understand snakes and tailor conservation efforts to their needs.

Fun Fact: Sri Lankan Green Pit Vipers can stay on the same branch for 3-4 weeks at a time!

Lesson 1: Curb Climate Change. Now.

The most important lessons are often the most obvious. Climate change is a growing concern for snakes across the world, and Tharanga’s research revealed worrying consequences for the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper if we don’t act now.

Using simulated climate models, Tharanga could predict–with a high degree of accuracy–meteorological patterns in Sri Lanka over the next decades, given specific scenarios. She was able to forecast variables such as weather, rainfall, humidity, temperature, and the presence of certain gases (such as CO₂).

By combining climate modeling with pre-existing knowledge of the snake’s habitat and preferences, Tharanga and her team could predict which areas of the country will be suitable for the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper until 2040.

Here’s what she found:

• Under climate model RCP 4.5 (low CO₂ emissions), habitat suitability could decline by 21.5% by 2040.
• Under climate model RCP 8.5 (high CO₂ emissions), habitat suitability could decline by 33.34% by 2040.

Let that sink in for a second. Even with a model that allows for low pollutant emissions, the snake’s habitat could still see a significant reduction.

Essentially, the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper is facing severe habitat loss due to man-made climate change.

This will likely force the species to move zones in search of its preferred microhabitat, while the suitable zones themselves shrink, leading to forced migration, narrower distribution, increased competition for resources, more interactions with humans, and–ultimately–population decline.

How Can You Help? Do what you can to curb climate change, and talk to your local politicians and leaders about environmental policies.

Lesson 2: Education is Key

Awareness and education surrounding snakes are overwhelmingly absent worldwide. Unfortunately, Tharanga’s fieldwork only confirmed this trend.

During her research, she and her team found evidence of intentional killings of the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper by farmers and plantation workers. Many people in Sri Lanka work directly with or near nature, so it’s not uncommon for laborers to encounter wild snakes.

Sadly, snakes like the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper are often killed because of misconceptions about their venomous nature. People frequently believe these snakes pose a greater danger than they actually do.

In reality, many snakes only attack when provoked or startled, if ever, instead preferring to run and hide. In the case of Peltopelor trigonocephalus, there have been no recorded human deaths from its bite.

These misunderstandings stem from a lack of awareness within the community, and locals often act pre-emptively out of fear or misjudgment. There is little evidence to suggest the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper is a threat to humans.

As part of her conservation efforts, Tharanga conducted workshops for locals to educate them about snakes. Her team also created posters to display around the country to increase awareness and understanding.

Herein lies the lesson: knowledge and understanding are fundamental to snake conservation. If more people realize that snakes aren’t inherently dangerous, there will be fewer killings and greater overall protection.

How Can You Help? Read more about the different kinds of snakes around you, and urge others to read, too. You can also support your local snake NGO or sanctuary by volunteering your time.

Lesson 3: We Must Preserve Microhabitats

For snake conservation efforts to be most effective, we need to zoom in and protect the microhabitats that provide the best conditions for each species.

Although research on the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper is limited, previous studies have confirmed that it is widely distributed across Sri Lanka, most abundantly in wet forest zones.

Tharanga’s research shed further light on the habitat preferences of Peltopelor trigonocephalus:

• Found across three climate zones: wet, dry, and intermediate.
• First recorded find of a Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper in the arid zone.
• The snake is arboreal (it prefers to hang out in trees). This is where most individuals were recorded.
• Temperature, precipitation, and elevation preferences all displayed bell curves when plotted on graphs, indicating that the species prefers specific, moderate climates.
• The favored microhabitats of the snake included areas with high humidity, low light intensity, dense canopy cover, deep litter layers, proximity to streams, and ambient air and substrate temperatures.

What’s interesting here is that the species was recorded in the arid zone for the first time.

Since previous research failed to focus on these areas, and specifically their preferred microhabitats, public understanding of this species may have been even more limited. It’s therefore possible that conflict and killings of Sri Lankan Green Pit Vipers were more frequent, as locals may not have expected to encounter these snakes in their areas and could have potentially confused them with other, more defensive species.

Curiously, Tharanga also recorded variations in color, size, and pattern depending on the specific microhabitat in which an individual was found. For instance, she found a positive correlation between snout thickness and branch size. Basically, the bigger the snake, the bigger the branches they seek out.

• MYTH: Captured Green Pit Vipers can be released into any suitable habitat.

• FACT: Due to different adaptations in color, pattern, and size between individuals in different microhabitats, each captured snake must be released into the exact habitat it was found in.

Tharanga’s findings strongly suggest that these microhabitats are vital to the snakes’ survival. As a result, conservation efforts for this species should focus on preserving the specific climate zones the snakes need and should be broadened to include arid zones.

How Can You Help? Join local volunteer groups to help preserve the nature around you. By protecting the plants, you can protect the inhabitants!

Lesson 4: We Need More Research!

During my discussions with Tharanga, one topic kept coming up: the lack of thorough previous research into the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper.

To date, only a few papers have been published on this snake species. There is a wide public knowledge gap regarding their behavior, ecology, habitat preferences, distribution, and territoriality. This negatively impacts conservation efforts.

For instance, the last assessment of the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper showed it to be of “Least Concern”. However, this research is now more than seven years old, and modern industrial demands can accelerate species decline rapidly.

Is the species as protected as it was almost a decade ago? How have the snake’s population figures been affected in recent years? We need a new analysis to determine if the threat to this snake has increased.

Tharanga’s research aims to extend our understanding of this snake, so we can tailor conservation efforts to best protect it and educate the public with greater accuracy. But there are still gaps in our knowledge, and further research is needed.

How Can You Help? Attend classes and events on snake conservation. Work with NGOs to record data on local snakes, as even simple observational surveys contribute to knowledge databases. Citizen science has become a powerful tool in conservation.

What Does This Mean for the Future of Snake Conservation?

Tharanga’s research into the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper has revealed four important lessons that we can implement in wider snake conservation efforts.

In summary, future conservation efforts should:

1. Combine conservation with climate change awareness. Since shifts in global temperatures pose a serious threat to snakes, conservation efforts should involve measures to reduce the effects of climate change.
2. Pay close attention to microhabitats. In the case of Peltopelor trigonocephalus, this means preserving the riparian zone, which holds the ideal conditions for the species’ survival.
3. Prioritize education. This means connecting with the local community and raising awareness about what to do if you encounter a snake.
4.  Contribute more public research. Recording data and publishing all findings will increase our depth of understanding of snakes, so we can target conservation efforts accordingly.

Tharanga hopes her research will lead to a greater understanding of habitat, climate, and conservation needs for the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper, and for snakes in general.

Support Snake Conservation Today

Snakes like the Sri Lankan Green Pit Viper are becoming increasingly endangered due to climate change and a lack of local education. But there are ways you can help.

Donate to Save the Snakes now to make an impact on the future of these beautiful reptiles and help protect them.

If you want to get more deeply involved, join one of their expeditions or visit one of their Conservation Partners and contribute to global snake conservation efforts first-hand!