Saving Snakes: Snakes and the Evolution of a Field Naturalist

by Nicolette Lynn Flocca Cagle

Beautiful to behold and extremely sensitive to its environment, the snake is nonetheless stigmatized as a serpent, a creature that almost universally inspires fear. At a time when so many animals are endangered, who will speak up for the snake? Snake populations are declining precipitously around the globe, but calls for their conservation are muted by fear and prejudice. Saving Snakes offers a new approach to understanding snakes and preserving their populations―an approach built on respect. Nicolette Cagle has traveled the world in search of snakes, from the Midwest and the southeastern United States to Cuba, Nicaragua, and Australia, and spent decades conducting natural science research on the patterns of snakes in regions where urban development encroaches upon the natural world. Her book offers a firsthand account of the strange and secretive lives of snakes, and reveals their devastating losses. Beautifully and accessibly written, Saving Snakes entwines Cagle’s personal narrative with deep scientific and historical research. Through the author’s exploration of her evolution as a field naturalist, it provides a blueprint for developing a conservation consciousness among young people and paves the way for increased inclusivity in the male-dominated field of herpetology. While fundamentally a book about snakes, this is also the story of one woman's pursuit of her passion as she searches for, studies, and advocates for these enigmatic creatures.

222 pages, Paperback

Published January 17, 2023

Reviews

[Simon Woodrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saving Snakes is not just an enjoyable and educational read but also an important book. With delightful and colourful language Dr Cagle tells two intertwining stories: her own journey beginning as a child as an amateur ecologist becoming a highly regarded expert in the field, as well as the story of snakes and their place in our world. Though the research and the breadth of information is highly impressive, this is in no way a dry or heavily academic book, meaning that someone like myself with no formal scientific education but a great interest in the natural world can easily follow along and find great pleasure in the knowledge imparted. Cagle tells about path she has taken, always seeking knowledge and how she has navigated her way to become a lauded teacher of all she has learned. Her enthusiasm for the subject is palpable and that of course makes the book so enriching for the reader. It's a joy to read of her travels and the characters (both human and "wild") she encounters. There's an underlying story here of both challenges and wonderment. Whilst telling the tale of the snake and its often maligned role in nature the book can at times leave the sensitive reader quite sad: the grand scale of massive habitat loss is so well demonstrated that the reader may come close to despair. And the treatment of individual snakes at the hands of humans (sometimes even the educated scientists who ought to know better) can be maddening to read. Snakes have always and continue to be one of the most misunderstood and cruelly treated of animals. People are often viscerally horrified by these remarkable creatures, a horror encouraged throughout cultural history (for example the literal demonization of snakes in the fairy tales of Scripture). But Cagle's story is not one without hope and the more educators and individuals learn and are able to delight in nature the way she does the better it will be for snakes and for our incredible, vulnerable and wonderful planet that we share. I suspect (and hope) this won't be her last book. If anyone can make seemingly mundane subjects (like "soil" which she touches briefly on) so interesting AND educational she is the one to do it!