Ophidiophobia, myth generation, and human perceptions: Implications for snake conservation in a typical savanna community of northern Ghana

ABSTRACT

Snakes have fascinated and terrified humans throughout history. Worldwide, innate fear (ophidiophobia), culturally-founded superstition, and myths have caused pervasive snake persecution, snakebite mismanagement, human injuries, and fatalities, particularly in the tropics. We analyzed 20 common snake myths narrated by 934 respondents inhabiting a typical rural savanna community of northern Ghana. The myths summarized perceived, self-assessed knowledge about snakes and were evaluated in their zoo-ecological contexts versus their folkloristic explanatory origins. Only eight snake myths (~40%) had any justifiable scientific basis, partially representing misinterpretations among predominantly male, less-educated respondents. Contrastingly, 70% of the myths were largely rooted in ophidiophobia, representing a major driver of human-wildlife conflict and indiscriminate snake persecution. To promote wildlife-friendly perceptions and behavior toward snakes and their conservation, we recommend innovative gap-bridging conservation education and public awareness that reconciles myths and realities about snakes, thus reducing snakebite incidences, mortality, and widespread persecution and killing of snakes.

KEYWORDS:

• Beliefs
• folklore
• psychology
• self-assessed knowledge
• snake fear
• West Africa
• zoo-ecology

Acknowledgments

First, we thank the local communities that participated in our study. We are also thankful for the tremendous assistance by Mohammed Mukhtar, Imoro Abdul Rashid, Issah Shaban, Abubakari Abdul Fatawu, Mohammed Yakubu, and Yakubu Abdul Latif during data collection.