2025 is the Year of the Snake. The creature represents change and opportunity in Chinese culture. But in the West, it’s a symbol of danger. So, what are snakes really like? CGTN’s Michael Marillier finds out.
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
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00:00Deceptive. Devious. Deadly.
00:06Let's be honest, snakes don't have the best reputation. But what are they really like?
00:12I've decided to find out for myself.
00:15I've come to a wildlife park in rural England and I'm meeting someone special. His name
00:21is Macaroni. He's a royal python.
00:25I don't normally wear ties, but it seems Macaroni is insisting on it.
00:33The rattlesnake is in here. It's very impressive.
00:37Biologist Meg Howard looks after Macaroni and his slithery friends. She says most people
00:43fear snakes because they don't understand them.
00:46They're not evil. They're not punning. They're not conniving. They're not plotting your demise.
00:52They're not after your downfall. They're not thinking, oh, they look tasty, I'm gonna
00:55bite them. They are just existing and if you're calm and you respect them, they will be calm
01:02and they'll respect them back.
01:04Poachers often hunt snakes for their skins, with the leather turned into high-value items
01:09like belts and handbags. But I can't understand why anyone would kill a friendly guy like
01:16Macaroni.
01:17He's so calm, peaceful. When you feel him, the texture is just so smooth and natural.
01:26I think maybe I'm starting to think a little bit differently about these guys.
01:33In China, snakes represent transformation, as they shed their skin an average of two
01:39to four times a year. And maybe there's something to that. After all, who doesn't like a fresh
01:46start?
01:47A lot of people say new year, new me, don't they? So it's a bit like you're shedding a
01:52skin starting as a new person.
01:54It is a new year, so maybe it's time for some new ideas. Sure, snakes may seem unfriendly,
02:01even perhaps cold-blooded, but 2025 is their year. A chance for them to make history.
02:11Michael Merilia, CGTN, Burford, England.