Wednesday, June 01, 2011

SHIELD-TAILED SNAKES: Determination

Copyright: Saleem Hameed

Found only in Southern India and Sri Lanka, Shield-tailed Snakes (Uropeltidae) are proof to some that these two regions were once joined together.  Relatively primitive, these Snakes are built for life underground.  Possessing pointed heads and heavy skulls, They ram their heads through the earth.  Their bodies bounce off the walls of their burrow, thereby enlarging their homes.  Adding to their ability to dig are their special muscles. Unlike other Snakes, the muscles of Shield-tailed Snakes can sustain the long term stress of digging.
            Their distinctive tails give the Shield-tailed Snakes their name.  A large scale at the end of their tail resembles a shield.  When a Shield-tailed Snake is threatened, She buries her head into the coils of her body.  Then She raises her tail to deflect an attack.
            By ramming their heavy skulls through the earth, Shield-tailed Snakes build their homes.  In conducting their lives, determination is what They best exemplify.  To make their homes wider, Shield-tail Snakes jerk their bodies about, bashing against the walls.  Harness the energy of these Snakes to finish what you started.  Learn determination from Shield-tail Snakes.
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