“Snakes on a Plane” Is Movie Fun, Not Wildlife Reality

RALEIGH, N.C. – There’s a lot of attention being paid to snakes lately, thanks to a Hollywood thriller starring Samuel L. Jackson.

The movie “Snakes on a Plane” and the phenomenon surrounding it have inspired blogs, a book, songs and merchandise. State wildlife officials hope it doesn’t inspire any mistreatment of snakes.

“Most people won’t confuse the entertainment value of the movie and the reality of snake behavior,” said Sarah Cross, the statewide herpetologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “However, there are a few people who consider snakes as threatening creatures and they shouldn’t. Snakes are a beneficial part of the environment and they generally pose no danger unless they are threatened.”

In the movie, snakes are living weapons, wreaking havoc and mayhem onboard an airline flight from Hawaii to Los Angles. It is an exciting plot device.

“Actually, snakes are no more aggressive than squirrels or birds,” Cross said. “A squirrel would probably bite you if you grabbed it. A bird might dive bomb you if you approached its nest. The snake’s defensive mechanism is to first avoid detection and then retreat if threatened. A snake bites only as a last resort.”

The chances of being bitten by a snake in North Carolina are very low, said Cross, who added that North Carolina has only six venomous species: the copperhead, cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, pigmy rattlesnake and eastern coral snake. Of these, only the copperhead is found statewide. The coral snake and the rattlesnake species are found so rarely that they are protected by law, she said.

The Wildlife Resources Commission, through its N.C. Wild Store, sells “A Guide to the Snakes of North Carolina,” a 42-page book that features more than 150 color photographs and descriptions of the 37 snake species found across the state. The book tells about the important roles snakes play in ecosystems, presents maps that detail the ranges of different species and gives information on snake conservation efforts. For more information or to order a copy, visit the online Wild Store.