PLAY PODCASTS
193 Snakes Can Smell Themselves
Episode 193

193 Snakes Can Smell Themselves

Herpetological Highlights

June 11, 202431m 43s

Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (mcdn.podbean.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.

Show Notes

The mirror test is often used to try and determine if animals have self recognition. If they recognise it is them in the mirror, they will react to a change in their appearance. But for snakes, sight is not the primary sense, so scientists have had to get a bit more creative.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Freiburger T, Miller N, Skinner M. 2024. Olfactory self-recognition in two species of snake. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 291:20240125. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0125.

Other Links/Mentions:

Maggie Koerth-Baker. 2010. Kids (and Animals) Who Fail Classic Mirror Tests May Still Have Sense of Self. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/kids-and-animals-who-fail-classic-mirror/

Fejervarya cancrivora call by Zaharil Dzulkafly from: AmphibiaWeb - Fejervarya cancrivora

Crocodile sister hero: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-69002147.amp 

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com