International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.4, 187-195 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 1 90 be able to stay in their existing habitats (Lourenço-De-Moraes et al., 2019; Cabral et al., 2024). As species decline and the structure loosens, other animals that rely on them are also disturbed. 3.3 Forest cover changes and shelter imbalance Large-scale logging is reshaping habitat, and snakes take the hit first. Less canopy means fewer hiding places and harder temperature control (Leal Santos et al., 2024). Where degradation is severe, temperature swings grow, the air is drier, and many populations drop fast. Habitat fragmentation is just as serious. Continuous forests are cut into patches and turn into isolated “islands.” Edge effects increase, so raptors detect and attack snakes more easily, and extreme weather strikes more directly (Cabral et al., 2024). Food is scarcer, mates are harder to find, and movement routes are blocked—stacked pressures that make survival far more difficult. Being stuck in small areas also reduces genetic mixing between populations, lowering their diversity (Leal-Santos et al., 2024). As good habitats disappear and areas become more isolated, many snake populations are shrinking—some may even disappear completely. With less movement between groups, snakes breed with fewer partners. This reduces genetic differences. Over time, snake populations become less able to adapt. Fewer hiding places and restricted movement are making life harder for snakes. Many species may continue to decline if these problems aren't fixed. 4 Population Dynamics and Redistribution Patterns 4.1 Poleward and altitudinal range shifts As temperatures rise, snakes are moving towards cooler areas. The road death records in Taiwan give a clear signal: the overall trend is moving northward while climbing towards higher altitudes (Liu, 2025). Similar scenes have also appeared in many parts of the world. In Mozambique and Argentina, some venomous snakes are losing their existing habitats while exploring new nearby habitats in marginal areas (Nori et al., 2013; Zacarias and Loyola, 2018). But a new habitat is not a safe choice. The initial conditions may appear promising, but as warming continues, it may evolve into an "ecological trap" that is difficult to sustain in the long term (Archis et al., 2018; Biber et al., 2023). 4.2 Climate-induced changes in reproduction and development Climate change is also raising the breeding threshold. The fluctuations in temperature and humidity not only slow down the development of snake eggs, but also alter the sex ratio after hatching (Lourenço-De-Moraes et al., 2019). In the Atlantic forests of Brazil, egg laying groups are more deeply affected as their egg stage is more dependent on stable environments. Colder temperate regions are also affected; The decline in reproductive capacity of grass snakes may be related to the ideal temperature window being broken by warming (Elmberg et al., 2024). If this trend continues, population growth may stagnate or even turn into a decline. 4.3 Disruption of predator–prey networks Securing enough food is getting harder. When snakes move into new places or shift their daily hours, they meet their usual prey less often (Capula et al., 2015). Ongoing habitat loss makes the problem bigger: competition rises, and so does the chance of being hunted (Biber et al., 2023). In degraded areas, exposure is higher, so capture is easier. Raptors and humans detect snakes more frequently (Zacarias and Loyola, 2018). The effects go beyond snakes themselves—the disturbed food web weakens overall ecosystem stability (Martinez et al., 2024; Liu, 2025). 5 Case Studies of Regional and Species-Specific Responses 5.1 Habitat loss and distribution fragmentation in tropical rainforest snakes With the continuous degradation of tropical rainforests, snake species are facing severe threats to their survival. In a study of forests along the Atlantic coast of Brazil, it was found that the vast majority of snakes may lose most of their suitable habitats, especially egg laying populations that require higher habitat conditions, and their risks are
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