01/05/2024
WHICH COUNTRY HAVE NO SNAKE AT ALL? Very few, as snakes are a very successful and wide-ranging group of reptiles. In fact, there are only two countries which have no native snake species. They are Ireland and Iceland.
Iceland is over a thousand kilometers from the nearest snake-inhabited land, and is thus far too isolated to be colonized by serpents - in fact, Iceland has no reptiles or amphibians to speak of, and only one native land mammal (the Arctic fox, which probably got there via sea ice).
Then there’s Ireland, my nation, which is a bit more fortunate, harbouring one species of reptile and three of amphibian. The island of Ireland was once connected to mainland Europe; along with Great Britain, it formed a landmass called Doggerland. However, the Pleistocene landbridge was covered in ice, and when that ice went away, sea levels rose and Ireland was once again cut off.
But what about Greenland? Greenland’s an autonomous region of Denmark, so it doesn’t count as a country.
But what about Antarctica? Also not a country.
But what about New Zealand? Now this is interesting, as New Zealand is usually cited as being snakeless. However, it shouldn’t be in my book - various sea snakes, such as the yellow-bellied sea snake, are found in New Zealand’s water.
So, it turns out there are only two countries which have no snakes at all, though some - namely Russia, Canada, the US, Chile, Argentina, NZ, and the Scandinavian nations - have large regions where snakes do not occur. Also, the UK, France and (ironically) Australia should be in there, since they own parts of Antarctica.