Snakes are a very specialised group of Reptiles under order Ophidia. Nearly 3,000 species of snakes are now found in the tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world. Out of these about 300 are Poisonous and others are Non-Poisonous. WHO has estimated that thirty to forty thousand people die annually of snake bite. Snakes are not found in New Zealand and Ireland.
Snakes are slender and elongated reptiles without limbs, eyelids and external ears. The whole body is covered with epidermal scales and shields. The scales and small and usually overlap each other but the shields are large and join each other by their margins. Shields are prominent on the head. The occipital condyle is single and tripartite
