Snake charming involves a person playing an instrument while a snake appears to sway in response. This creates an illusion of mystical control over the animal. The perceived “charming” is not magical but relies on specific techniques and the snake’s natural biological responses. It is a carefully orchestrated performance that leverages the snake’s instincts.
The Charmer’s Techniques
Snake charmers use a wind instrument, typically a pungi, which they sway in front of the snake. The pungi’s sound does not guide the snake’s movements as humans perceive music. Instead, the snake responds to visual cues from the charmer’s swaying body and the instrument’s motion. These movements are interpreted by the snake as a potential threat or an object to track. Charmers may also tap the pungi on the ground, creating vibrations that influence the snake’s behavior.
The Snake’s Perception and Behavior
Snakes do not possess external ears, so they cannot hear airborne sounds as humans do. However, recent research indicates that snakes are not entirely deaf to airborne sounds and can react to sound waves traveling through the air, though their hearing is less acute. Snakes are highly sensitive to ground vibrations, which they detect through their belly scales and jawbone, transmitting these sensations to their inner ear.
The snake’s swaying motion is a defensive behavior, an instinctive response to track the movement of the charmer and the pungi. This behavior allows the snake to assess a perceived threat and maintain a defensive posture. Their relatively poor eyesight also contributes to their reliance on tracking movement. Cobras, commonly used in these performances, will often spread their hood as a defensive display, making themselves appear larger and more intimidating.
Species and Handling Practices
Cobras, like the Indian and Egyptian cobra, are chosen for snake charming due to their distinctive hooding behavior, which enhances the performance’s visual drama. Other species, including Russell’s vipers and pythons, are also used. To manage risks from venomous snakes, charmers employ practices that compromise the snake’s natural defenses. These methods include removing fangs, piercing or removing venom glands, or partially sewing the snake’s mouth shut.
Such practices, while intended for safety, raise ethical concerns regarding animal welfare. They can lead to severe health problems for the snakes, including infections, feeding difficulties, and a shortened lifespan. Snake charming was banned in India under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 due to these animal welfare issues, though it may still persist in some areas.
Common Misconceptions
A common misconception is that snakes are hypnotized by the music played by the charmer. Scientific evidence refutes this, as snakes lack the neurological structures for hypnosis and do not “dance” to musical tunes. The snake’s movements are a direct reaction to the charmer’s visual cues and the vibrations they sense.
Another myth is that snakes actively choose to perform or are entranced. Their apparent “dance” is a defensive or tracking response to what they perceive as a moving threat. The freezing behavior sometimes observed in small animals when confronted by a snake is a natural defense mechanism, not a result of hypnosis.