International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.3, 101-110 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 102 on frogs for food have collapsed, and species richness and individual numbers have dropped significantly (Zipkin et al., 2020). In parts of Africa, tens of thousands of people die each year from snake bites (WHO, 2019). The panic caused by this has led local residents to "kill snakes whenever they see them", exacerbating the anthropogenic mortality rate of snake populations (Farooq and Geldmann, 2024). This study will explore the distribution pattern and vulnerability characteristics of snake diversity, analyze how human interference factors such as habitat loss, pollution, hunting and killing trade, alien species invasion and climate change affect snake populations, sort out the current status and differences of snake protection at the international and regional levels, and deepen the understanding of the specific impact of human activities on snake diversity through three typical case studies of urbanization, illegal trade, and pesticide pollution, propose strategic recommendations for snake conservation and ecological restoration, and look forward to future research directions and protection prospects. This study aims to provide a scientific basis for wildlife protection policies, optimize habitat management, and reduce human-snake conflicts, so as to promote the realization of biodiversity conservation goals and the sustainable development of human society. 2 Distribution Pattern and Vulnerability Characteristics of Snake Biodiversity 2.1 Global and regional snake diversity hotspots Snakes are widely distributed in a variety of habitats around the world, but their diversity is obviously uneven in different regions. Tropical and subtropical regions are recognized as the areas with the most concentrated snake diversity, especially the original rainforest and wetland ecosystems, which are the diversity hotspots of many snakes. For example, the Amazon rainforest in South America, the Andes in Central America, Borneo and Indochina in Southeast Asia, etc., all have rich snake species, including a large number of regional endemic species (Marshall et al., 2020). For example, in the Australian interior and the desert grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa, the diversity of snakes and lizards is significantly higher than that of other vertebrate groups, forming a phenomenon different from the diversity pattern of amphibians and birds (Cox et al., 2022). In addition, some island ecosystems have evolved highly unique snake species due to geographical isolation, such as the colubrid snakes in the Galapagos Islands and the blind snakes on some islands in West Asia. 2.2 Ecological sensitivity and evolutionary constraints of snakes Although snakes are geographically distributed in a wide range of environments, many snake species show certain vulnerabilities in ecological needs and evolutionary characteristics, making them particularly sensitive to environmental changes (Reading et al., 2010). Many snakes are "K-strategy" species, with evolutionary characteristics of long lifespan and low reproductive rate. . Demographic studies have shown that removing only a small number of breeding female snakes can turn the growth rate of some endangered snake populations negative and show a sustained decline (Jolly et al., 2022). Many snakes also have habitat specificity and narrow geographical distribution. Some arboreal or aquatic snakes are only adapted to specific microhabitats, such as vine snakes in the Amazon canopy or cichlid snakes in clear streams. These species cannot respond flexibly to habitat fragmentation, and once the original habitat is destroyed, it is difficult to move to alternative habitats, thus facing the risk of local extinction (Wanger et al., 2023). In addition, as cold-blooded animals, snakes are strongly restricted by environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity, and their behavior and activity patterns are extremely sensitive to climate change. For example, tropical species are active all year round but need to avoid high temperatures and droughts, while temperate species hibernate in winter and have a significant peak in activity in summer. If climate patterns change, it may cause their reproduction and hunting rhythms to be disrupted or their physical condition to decline (Martinez et al., 2024). Snakes lack secondary defense and migration capabilities in evolution. For example, many snakes in Australia cannot resist the toxins of invasive cane toads, and lack the instinct to avoid such prey in evolution, resulting in large-scale population deaths (Phillips and Shine, 2006). 2.3 Response characteristics to human disturbance Different snake species show diverse responses to human disturbance. Some species have certain adaptability and can even use artificial environments to a certain extent, while others are extremely sensitive to disturbance and
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