Eels are edible fish that are non-toxic, delicious, and highly nutritious. However, snakes seem to steer clear of this dish. Why is that?
We know that snakes are apex predators in nature. With their keen senses and unique hunting skills, they can capture and digest a variety of creatures. Their diet includes mice, birds, amphibians, and reptiles, all of which are their favorites.
Even more surprisingly, some snake species dare to challenge and eat other snakes.
However, among this list of enticing prey exists a special creature – the eel (scientific name: Monopterus albus), which makes snakes hesitant and even cautious when hunting. This is the result of a complex interplay of ecological, physiological, and evolutionary factors.
1. From an Ecological Perspective
In-depth analysis from an ecological standpoint reveals that as a unique aquatic creature, the living trajectory and survival strategy of eels are deeply imprinted in the aquatic environment. Their streamlined body structure and smooth outer layer demonstrate their perfect adaptation to life underwater.
For snakes, hunting eels is undoubtedly a challenging task.
Underwater, eels can move flexibly, displaying remarkable agility and alertness whether they are foraging for food or evading predators.
In contrast, snakes primarily live on land, and their lifestyle, body structure, and hunting techniques are entirely different from those of eels. For snakes, the habitat of eels presents a whole new world full of mysteries and challenges.
Fast-flowing waters, fluctuating water temperatures, and obstacles to underwater visibility are all issues that snakes need to overcome. They must learn to maintain balance in the water, counteract the effects of the current, and use their limited sensory information to locate and approach their prey.
In this process, snakes not only have to exert more effort but also accept higher risks. When entering the water, they lose the flexibility and speed they have on land and become relatively clumsy. Eels can quickly take advantage of their underwater environment to escape or retaliate.
Therefore, for snakes, hunting eels is undoubtedly a very difficult task that requires exceptional skills and patience.
2. From a Physiological Perspective
From a physiological perspective, their body structure resembles a sophisticated machine, ensuring not only efficient movement but also granting them incredible survival capabilities.
When faced with potential threats such as snakes, eels can quickly adjust their body posture and escape from danger as swiftly as possible. This effective escape mechanism allows eels to survive easily when encountering predators.
The difficulty in hunting has led snakes to gradually learn to be cautious and avoid eels.
Even more astonishing is that the surface of the eel’s body is covered with a slippery mucous layer. This mucous layer not only serves as lubrication, making it easier for eels to swim but also provides a strong defense mechanism.
When snakes attempt to catch eels, this mucous layer makes it difficult for them to deliver a deadly bite to their prey. Even if a snake successfully bites the eel, the slippery mucus makes it hard for the snake to apply pressure and coil tightly, giving the eel a chance to escape.
3. From an Evolutionary Perspective
For snakes, despite their powerful predatory abilities and keen senses, they often find themselves helpless when facing eels. The challenges in hunting have led snakes to gradually learn to be cautious and avoid eels throughout their evolutionary process.
This is not a simple psychological response but has become embedded in the genes of snakes. Through many generations of inheritance and reproduction, this wariness has been continually reinforced in snakes, ultimately becoming an instinctive behavioral pattern.
This instinctive trait has enabled snakes to react swiftly when encountering eels, thus avoiding unnecessary risks and losses.
