Facts about Snakes About Snakes ü Out of about 3,000 species of snakes, only about 350 have venom that is dangerous to humans. ü Snakes are the deadliest animal on earth, killing over 100,000 people each year. ü Some snakes can reach a length of about 36 feet (11 meters). Snake Senses ü Snakes smell with their tongue. Smell is their strong sense. ü The snake’s forked tongue allows the snake to know the direction of the smell. ü Snakes are deaf—but they can sense sound vibrations. ü Snakes have poor eyesight. Eating ü Snakes do not chew; they swallow their prey as a whole (frogs, rats, birds, etc.). ü Snakes use their front fangs to hold (not chew) their prey. ü The upper and bottom jaws of a snake are not connected, enabling the snake’s mouth to be flexible enough to open wide and swallow large prey. A snake can swallow prey that is 4 times the width of its head. ...