Today, July 16, we mark World Snake Day with the aim of raising public awareness about the vital role snakes play in the ecosystem. Although encounters with these reptiles are often met with fear and misunderstanding, they are essential for maintaining ecological balance and hold great importance for humans (for example, by controlling rodent populations and consequently protecting agricultural crops).

There are around 3,600 different species of snakes in the world, while 16 species are found in the territory of Macedonia, only three of which are venomous. Despite their diversity and adaptability, many snake species face threats from habitat loss due to anthropogenic and climate-related factors.

World Snake Day is an opportunity to learn more about these fascinating creatures and support efforts for their protection. Through regular research campaigns, the Macedonian Ecological Society is fully committed to studying and conserving snakes and their habitats.

Such were our recent activities for monitoring the population of dice snakes (Natrix tessellata) on the island of Mali Grad in the Albanian part of Prespa, carried out together with our partners and collaborators from PPNEA and SPP, within the framework of the cross-border ecological network PrespaNet, supported by experts from the Faculty of Biology in Belgrade.