Dance to the death: Male snakes' charming 'mating ritual' to prove who is the strongest of the pack
- These two male Rat Snakes are attempting to subdue each other
- They are fighting to define their territory and defend their mates
- The tussle can last up to an hour and is often mistaken for mating
- The Rat Snake is one of the most common snakes countries including India
As these two snakes coil around each other in a seemingly affectionate tussle of mating, all is not as it seems.
They are actually two male Rat Snakes who are fighting for dominance, to prove who is the strongest of the pack in Salt Lake in Kolkata, India.
While no mating is involved, the two snakes perform the 'dance’ by wrapping around each other and raising their upper bodies in an attempt to subdue each other.
Wrapped up: The two snakes are performing a 'mating ritual' through 'dance' by wrapping around each other in their fight for dominance
The dominant male Ptyas mucosus pins down his opponent for a few seconds before letting him go and mating with the female.
The ritual can last up to an hour and while not overtly aggressive, it allows the male snakes to define their territory and defend their mates.
The dance is often mistaken as the mythical ‘mating dance’ and many Indians, who worship snakes, consider the dance sacred.
Dance of dominance: These two male Rat Snakes are fighting to prove who is strongest of the pack and defend their mate
Tall order: The snakes, which can grow up to eight feet long, raise their upper bodies as they fight it out for up to an hour
Ritual dance: Snakes are considered sacred in India because they are seen as entities of strength and renewal in Hindu mythology
Snakes are seen by Indians to be entities of strength and renewal in Hindu mythology. The snake is often used to represent the Naga, a deity or class of entity found in Hinduism and Buddhism.
The snake represents rebirth, death and mortality because of its casting of its skin which is seen as a symbolic rebirth.
The snakes can grow up to about eight feet long and they eat frogs, rats, rodents, birds, lizards, turtles and bats. Their venom is not poisonous.
They are one of the most common snakes found in the hills and plains throughout India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Indo-China region.
Often mistaken as the fatally poisonous Indian Cobra and the King Cobra and so are frequently killed unnecessarily by people because of this.
Snake slip up: The dance is often mistaken as the mythical 'mating dance' and many Indians, who worship snakes, consider the dance sacred
Common place: They are one of the most common snakes found in the hills and plains throughout India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Indo-China region
Not poisonous: Often mistaken as the fatally poisonous Indian Cobra and the King Cobra, the common Rat Snake are frequently killed unnecessarily by people because of this
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