Snakes Are Everything #8
Dr. Andrew Hoffman discusses the widespread fear of snakes among the general public and the role social media is playing in amplifying these fears. He combines his personal observations from snake research and outreach, recent findings in the social sciences, and his experience in creating and growing the social media channel “Life Underfoot” to detail how this fear is a very real barrier to conservation and how social media represents a mostly untapped and incredibly powerful resource to reach millions of people with more responsible messaging around snakes and snake conservation.
Watch videos from Life Underfoot on YouTube:
- Looking for Eastern Garter Snakes in the Garden! (their most recent video that incorporates everything discussed in this episode
- The Hidden Lives of Timber Rattlesnakes (excellent example of focusing on individual stories)
- The Timber Rattlesnake is NOT Aggressive! (their main video trying to convince people that snakes are not aggressive)
- Is the Black Rat Snake Aggressive? (another video mentioned in the episode with good messaging about snakes)
You can also find Life Underfoot on TikTok and Instagram
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