Venomous Snakes in the Context of Critical Animal Studies: The Problem Statement

Abstract

The article discusses the relationship between humans and poisonous snakes in the context of critical animal studies. For a long time, this relationship developed mainly in the form of a conflict which significantly escalated during the colonial expansion of Europeans into tropical and subtropical regions. However, the invention of antivenom (anti-snake serums) at the beginning of the 20th century brings new aspects to the relationship between humans and poisonous snakes. The use of venom to obtain sera allows humans to gain power over the snakes, no longer requiring their extermination. The serpentariums and laboratories necessary for the production of antivenoms are based on a model of exploitation of venomous snakes and other animals involved in this process. As the general principles of the relationship between man and nature develop, this discourse becomes more complicated and modified. In the activities of serpentariums, directives are emerging that are associated with a careful attitude towards the objects of exploitation, prolonging their captive existence, and developing methods for breeding snakes in captivity. Using a critical approach allows us to consider the relationship between humans and venomous snakes as part of a continuum of power practices that humans implement in relation to nature and specific biological species.