Ophidiophobia is one of the most common phobias in the world.
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The fear of snakes is often found in the top 5 phobias alongside social fears, heights and spiders.
Many studies and research around the world have tried to discover if this fear is learnt or innate.
Studies have included showing photos to babies and watching their pupil dilation. Increased dilation indicates fear. It also indicates focus.
Some studies link the fear back millions of years when a snake in the grass would have killed humans.
Because of this, there is a theory that the fear could be evolutionary.
Despite many decades of research by scientists all over the globe, there is no definitive answer if fears of snakes is innate.
Instead the results lean towards learnt behaviour.
In Tasmania, this makes sense. There is not one snake in Tasmania that can’t kill you. We have three species – tiger, copperhead and white-lipped. They are all venomous. Therefore we are learnt as children to leave them alone because they could hurt us.
We are told to be careful with our pets because, again, the snakes could kill them. The caution is instantly applied to fear – the fear of death or thanatophobia.
Tasmania hasn’t had a death by snake bite since 1948. The woman was bitten while walking along the Overland Track.
We have had snake bites. It’s just a combination of health services and first aid training that has meant the bites have not been fatal.
Many people don’t want to hold a fear of snakes. Some people even seek counselling or hypnotherapy to diminish or remove the fear.
That’s why it’s so lovely to see 10-year-old Toby Morrison embracing the wildlife around him and at the same time offering a community service.
Toby, under the guidance of his father, is being taught how to care and respect for these, perhaps misrepresented, creatures.
Given he has completed his course, Toby not only can help relocate snakes when they turn up uninvited, but also knows first aid. Both are important skills.
Toby is an example of a learnt behaviour. Instead of being taught to fear the reptile, he has been guided to treat them respect and exist alongside them.