Secondary school students’ knowledge, attitudes, emotions and intentional behaviour towards snakes: the need to shed old skin

It is more important than ever to raise awareness of the value of preserving biodiversity given the current high rates of extinction. Many snake species are threatened despite playing key ecological roles in ecosystems. In addition to habitat destruction and climate change, human-snake conflicts constitute a major threat to snakes. Education, therefore, can be a crucial tool for snake conservation. In this study conducted in the Basque Country (northern Spain), we assess the knowledge, emotions, attitudes and intentional behaviours of 640 secondary education students (aged 15–16) towards snakes, examining the interrelationships among these dimensions and their associations with selected sociodemographic factors. The results indicate limited awareness and knowledge of snakes, low levels of positive attitudes, moderate levels of fear and disgust, and avoidance (particularly running away) as the most common behavioural intention. These patterns were significantly more pronounced among girls than boys. Familiarity and knowledge of exotic snakes were higher than for native species, and students from larger towns showed lower familiarity with native snakes and poorer identification. The importance of providing students with relevant information on native snakes is emphasised, along with the need to incorporate emotional dimensions into biodiversity education, especially concerning unpopular animals.