The snake is a limbless, elongate reptile that belongs to the order Squamata and the suborder Serpentes. Comparatively little is known about the ecology of snakes – they differ from many animals in that they do not have to eat every day, with some species consuming just two meals a month.
When it comes to the intelligence of these animals, it can be difficult to determine how they compare to mammal and bird species, as their lifestyles and ecology are very different. The two main topics in research into the intelligence of snakes are their spatial cognition and the possibility of self-recognition – this article explores these concepts to ask the question: are snakes smart?
Spatial Cognition
Snakes require good spatial awareness in order to move around in their habitat. They utilize environmental features such as celestial cues and landmarks, as well as chemical cues such as those released by other snakes. Water snakes have been found to rely more on tactile stimulation than vision to navigate.
Snakes have relatively small brains, which is often associated with decreased behavioral complexity. In addition, their telencephalic hemispheres are less developed than those seen in other types of reptiles, such as lizards and turtles. This is the part of the brain associated with learning, suggesting that snakes may not be especially able to learn new concepts.
Indeed, studies with snakes in artificial environments found that their learning abilities were lacking. However, in their natural environment, this ability is greatly improved. For example, snakes do not perform well in classic maze navigation tasks, but when tasked with locating a hole in which to hide, young corn snakes (Elaphe guttata guttata) learn rapidly.
When examining the learning of snakes, it should also be borne in mind that they are not motivated in the same way as mammals are, thus direct translations of experiments done with mammals may not be successful. Because snakes eat sparingly, they are less motivated by food, instead responding to factors such as temperature changes and escape from predation.
Another study examining the body awareness of rat snakes, Elaphe radiata, found that they show a degree of behavioral flexibility in terms of finding a suitable place in which to shelter. After eating, the width of these snakes increases, so they must find a larger shelter than before consuming prey. This suggests that the rat snake has some spatial awareness.
Self-Recognition
Self-recognition is considered one of the hallmark traits of higher intelligence in animals. Typically, social animals possess better self-recognition abilities than solitary animals. Evidence for this trait in snakes is limited, however, one study examined the possibility of chemical self-recognition in garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis. The results found that male garter snakes were better than females at distinguishing their own scent, which suggests that there may be some form of self-recognition in this species.
Conclusions – Are Snakes Smart?
Intelligence is difficult to define in any species, but especially in snakes. The lifestyle of members of Serpentes is divergent from that of other types of animals, which presents challenges when it comes to research. While snakes may not present some of the classic signs of being ‘smart’, they have demonstrated good spatial cognition in their natural environment, and there is some evidence of self-recognition in this animal as well. Snakes might be smart, but more research is needed to truly answer this question.
