Browsing by Author "Pobee, A.N.A."
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Item Ophidiophobia, myth generation, and human perceptions: Implications for snake conservation in a typical savanna community of northern Ghana(Taylor & Francis Group, 2021) Musah, Y.; Attuquayefio, D.K.; Pobee, A.N.A.; Holbech, L.H.Snakes have fascinated and terrified humans throughout history. Worldwide, innate fear (ophidiophobia), culturally-founded superstition, and myths have caused pervasive snake persecution, snakebite mismanagement, human injuries, and fatalities, particularly in the tropics. We analyzed 20 common snake myths narrated by 934 respondents inhabiting a typical rural savanna community of northern Ghana. The myths summarized perceived, self-assessed knowledge about snakes and were evaluated in their zoo-ecological contexts versus their folkloristic explanatory origins. Only eight snake myths (~40%) had any justifiable scientific basis, partially representing misinterpretations among predominantly male, less-educated respondents. Contrastingly, 70% of the myths were largely rooted in ophidiophobia, representing a major driver of human-wildlife conflict and indiscriminate snake persecution. To promote wildlife-friendly perceptions and behavior toward snakes and their conservation, we recommend innovative gap-bridging conservation education and public awareness that reconciles myths and realities about snakes, thus reducing snakebite incidences, mortality, and widespread persecution and killing of snakes.