We have so many wonderful places in this world.
Every place has its specialty.
There are some places that are very scary and horrible, and one such place is called
Snake Island.
In today's episode, we will see the condition of that terrible island, where thousands of
snakes live.
Snake Island is an island off the coast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean.
It is originally known Ilha da Queimada Grande.
It is administered as part of the municipality of Itanhaém in the State of São Paulo.
The island is small in size, only 43 hectares, and has a temperate climate.
The island's terrain varies considerably, ranging from bare rock to rainforest.
This island is located approximately 33 kilometers off the coast of the state of São Paulo,
Brazil, the island is approximately 430,000 square meters in area.
The island ranges in elevation from sea level to 206 meters above sea level.
The island has a temperate climate that is similar to that of its neighboring island
Nimer.
The island is the only natural home of the critically endangered, venomous Bothrops insularis,
which has a diet of birds.
The snakes became trapped on the island thousands of years ago following the end of the last
ice age when rising ocean levels disconnected the island from the mainland.
The ensuing evolutionary pressure allowed the snakes to adapt to their new environment.
The island was previously thought to have a population of about 430,000 snakes, but
recent estimates are much lower.
The first systematic study of the population of the golden lancehead found the number to
be 2,000 to 4,000, concentrated almost entirely in the rainforest area of the island.
This might have happened because there was a limited amount of resources and the population
became level, but in 2015 an estimate by a herpetologist on a Discovery Channel documentary
stated that the population remains at 2,000 to 4,000 golden lanceheads.
The golden lancehead also may be at risk from inbreeding, effects of which are evident in
the population.
Snake Island is closed to the public in order to protect both people and the snake population.
Access is available only to the Brazilian Navy, and selected researchers vetted by the
Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, the Brazilian federal conservation unit.
The snake island is protected by the 33 hectares Ilhas Queimada Pequena e Queimada Grande Area
of Relevant Ecological Interest, created in 1985.
The Brazilian Navy has closed the island to the public, and the only people who are allowed
on the island are research teams, who receive waivers to collect data.