VIDEO: Snake

Video and text Mati Sepp
Translation Liis

Video: LINK

Grass snake     Harilik nastik or nastik         Natrix natrix

Estonian nature is wonderfully exotic with regard to our fauna and in a European perspective quite unique.

But are we capable to pass on this nature of Estonia to our children and grandchildren, as rich in species as it has survived to this moment? Not with certainty because nature is in a phase of change and people’s economic interests run on parallel paths with the welfare of nature.

But, how to keep this nature and yet develop economy? I personally don’t know the answer to this. But I do know how to give my children a love of nature.

The simple rule – the child must realise that nature is not hostile but that nature is our friend and we are its servants. The future of nature will depend on the attitudes of our own children towards the miracles of nature. Wherever we have erred they will have to heal the wounds but this will only happen when the child understands that nature is something more than only a lucrative economic source

Big deeds grow from small things.

Out walking with my family we headed for the RMK recreation area to rest our feet. From far off we saw that no one was there and we went boldly straight up to the site. But none of us could imagine that the place was already occupied.

With my two sons I went to to fetch firewood in the place indicated by RMK. I stretched out my hand – and heard the hissing of a snake. My first instinctive reaction was fear, and thoughts of the safety of my boys. They are still small, the oldest just five and the younger soon three. Assured of the safety of the children, we cautiously approached to study the hisser closer. My aim was not to hurt it but to teach the children why one has to take care when having to do with snakes.

Children understand very well that snakes are not evil animals but simply just a little dangerous when one comes too close to them. This snake stayed there, resting, after we left and for safety we put up a sign for the next visitors that there is a snake in the woodshed, please be careful.

Hopefully other visitors too will understand that snakes are part of the nature of Estonian and killing them is in no way a justifiable deed – not even when the reptile hisses at your own family.

Estonian nature needs people who can see this and will understand that snakes too are a part of Estonia and deserve their living space without being harassed or even thoughtlessly slaughtered.

Take care of nature!