2007-02-20 09:17:12 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Reptiles
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/NewsEvents/irelandsnakes.cfm
This should answer your question. Thanks for giving me an education today!
2007-02-20 09:25:18 · answer #1 · answered by Crazymom 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I really have never heard people say that. The lack of snakes in Ireland have more to do with its isolation and the cold water off the shores and the way the currents flow (which have prevented snakes from making it across the ocean), than with the climate on the island. There are actually snakes which live in the arctic circle, which is far colder than Ireland.
Ireland never really had snakes, but had a lot of images of snakes and stories of snakes. Around February 2nd, there is a tradition which started for the Goddess Brighid and was continued with St. Brighid, where people would wait for a snake to emerge from a hole and end winter. This is proably the origin of Groundhog Day. Some claim that winter never ended as snakes never came out of the ground, others suggest that it was figurative rather than literal, and it was a stream of water coming from a spring for which people waited. Regardless, they sang songs about snakes, despite there being none.
2007-02-20 21:29:23 · answer #2 · answered by Geoffrey J 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just by chance there are no snakes native to Ireland. It has nothing to do with climate, or St. Patrick driving them out to rid the country of evil (if that was his goal, kicking out the Brits would have been a good place to start), or anything else. And they can live there; somebody introduced snakes decades ago which are thriving and reproducing mere miles from St. Patrick's tomb.
2007-02-20 13:24:59 · answer #3 · answered by maggot_hex 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's no snakes in Ireland because of St. Patrick's music. They don't have hands to put over their ears.
2007-02-20 11:11:39 · answer #4 · answered by traila_dwella 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not QUITE the same. It actually tends to be warmer in the winter, but a lot wetter. The summers TEND to be cooler.
They probably could just about cling on, but would never be common.
2007-02-20 09:25:41 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
i have no idea but i wish they couldnt survive where i live i hate them they make my skin crawl eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwk
2007-02-20 11:09:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Goooooooddd question!!!
2007-02-20 09:24:03 · answer #7 · answered by MIGHTY MINNIE 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i never said that
:(
2007-02-20 17:00:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋