Snakes in Ireland

Are there snakes in Ireland

No native snakes are living in Ireland in the wild. There is a long story behind the lack of snakes in the country.

During the Ice Age, Ireland remained covered in snow, and ice, making it impossible for snakes or other cold-blooded reptiles to survive. After the end of the Ice Age, 10,000 years ago, the ice melted, and Ireland was connected to other parts of Europe via land. During that time, animals like the lynx, brown bears, and wild boars migrated here. However, snakes weren’t listed among the animals in Ireland even then.

No wonder owning snakes became a matter of exhibiting one’s status in Ireland in the 1990s when the country witnessed an economic boom. However, from 2008-2009, when the Irish economy went through depression, people often abandoned their snakes, setting them out in the wild.