Why Does a Snake Always Stick Out Its Tongue?
The reason a snake sticks out its tongue is to augment the sense of smell. Snake has a forked tongue and use it to “taste” for orders and provides itself with information about its surroundings. Odor particles are picked up and transferred to special sense organs in the roof of the mouth which then sends information to the brain. This sense of smell assists the snake in finding food and identifying potential mates or enemies. The tongue of a snake is often thought to be dangerous; in fact, it is completely harmless. The tongue of a snake is never a “stinger” or weapon.
A snake’s tongue looks like a long, sharp, slender forked finger. People have long believed that when a snake flicks its tongue in and out of its mouth rapidly, it is preparing to attack. But this is not so. Actually, the snake’s tongue is harmless. The flicking is only a snake’s way of feeling, touching, and picking up food. Th
