Instead of considering this from a country perspective, let’s examine it through the lens of evolution and ecosystems. Animals and plants do not recognize human-defined borders.

New Zealand stands out as a strong contender for being a no-snake country. As an isolated island situated in the southern hemisphere, it experiences relatively colder temperatures, making it less suitable for snakes. The existing bird species, reptiles (like the Tuatara depicted above!), amphibians, and insects have filled the ecological role typically occupied by snakes. Interestingly, mammals have historically been rare on this unique island as well. 🇳🇿

Here are some intriguing points about snakes from an evolutionary standpoint:

Snakes have a fascinating evolutionary history, with fossil evidence dating back to the late Cretaceous period (100–120 million years ago). They are believed to have descended from lizards and share a close relationship with them.

Snakes occupy the ecological niche of small-to-medium-sized, stealth-based predators that typically operate alone. The biology and physiology of reptiles, in general, are better suited to hot, dry, and warm climates. As a result, snakes are predominantly found in tropical and desert regions, both in the past and present.

During the Cretaceous era, the global climate was significantly warmer than it is today. Snakes took advantage of this climate to primarily feed on small mammals, dinosaurs, and other reptiles. This climatic trend continued into the Paleocene and early Eocene epochs of the Cenozoic era following the K-Pg extinction event.

The Palaeocene period (56–66 million years ago) witnessed the radiation of many mammal groups, which filled various ecological niches previously occupied by dinosaurs. Birds also experienced tremendous diversification during this time. As mammals and birds remained relatively small in size, snakes were able to co-evolve alongside this new prey distribution.

As the world gradually cooled during the mid-to-late Eocene epoch (around 48 million years ago), mammals were able to evolve larger body sizes. However, smaller mammals and birds continued to thrive, providing ample opportunities for snakes to coexist.

Since then, the coldest regions of the world, including the extreme north (parts of Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, Russia, etc.) and the extreme south (parts of Chile and Argentina), have remained inhospitable for snakes and other reptile groups. This trend continues to this day.

Snakes are exceptionally rare or non-existent on land in regions such as Greenland, Iceland, Antarctica, and New Zealand, although some sea snake species may be present.

It is worth noting that snakes have not been found in mountainous regions above 5,000 meters above sea level. The combination of extremely cold temperatures and air pressures at such altitudes makes it inhospitable for these highly successful reptilian predators.

The absence of snakes in New Zealand and other cold regions can be attributed to the climatic and environmental conditions that snakes have historically adapted to. It is indeed remarkable to observe this lack of snakes in regions that are too cold for them to thrive. Is it nature’s adaptation or a human prank? 😰🤔