Facebook networks as citizen science tool for snake species monitoring in the Philippines

The Philippines is a biodiverse country and is notable for its herpetofauna. Given the country’s significant social media presence, this study aimed to explore the potential of using citizen science through social media to assist in the biodiversity monitoring of herpetofauna, particularly snakes. Facebook groups and pages were data-mined using preset criteria. A total of 54 snake species, represented by 32 genera and 10 families, were gathered from 503 posts. Family Colubridae is the most diverse. Two colubrids, Philippine Rat Snake ( Coelognathus erythrurus ) and Common Wolf Snake ( Lycodon capucinus ), are the most frequently reported species. Their ability to thrive in areas close to human habitation contributed to the high number of observations, as most reports occurred in these areas. Recorded species were commonly Endemic (n=31) and Native (n=21). Introduced species (n=2) were also observed. Population density, internet access, and forest cover likely influence the distribution of reports across provinces/regions. Reports indicate that some of the encountered snakes were handled or captured, with a few cases mentioning that they were either released or surrendered. In certain instances, snakes were kept as pets, while others were killed. With the data acquired, this study suggests that if fully utilized and organized, Facebook networks could not be limited to snake identification, but rather a powerful tool in occurrence monitoring, particularly species requiring urgent attention, such as endemic, threatened, and introduced species.