Posted by: Kirsten Pisto, Communications
Ever wonder why snakes are always sticking out their tongues? Woodland Park Zoo volunteer, Jordan, asked some of the zoo’s
most curious visitors to explain…and their answers were pretty impressive! It's hard to trick the smartest zoo kids in the world.
All snakes have a vomeronasal organ, sometimes referred to
as the Jacobson’s organ. This special auxiliary olfactory organ, located on the
roof of the snake’s mouth, allows tiny chemical particles to be interpreted by
the snake’s brain. A lightning fast exchange, the tongue finds these particles
from the air, water or ground and delivers them to the Jacobson’s organ. The
organ then supplies this information to the brain which interprets the message
and the snake reacts accordingly.
A snake’s vomeronasal organ, or Jacobson’s organ, sits
inside the roof of the mouth. A snake’s forked tongue assists in this
adaptation by fitting snuggly into the organ, the perfect delivery system for chemical
stimuli.
While snakes and reptiles flick this chemical stimulus into their mouth, most all mammals have a vomeronasal organ that assists the animals in detecting minute chemical scents. In cats the organ is stimulated when the cat exhibits the Flehmen reaction, sort of a sneer or curling of their lips.
Next time you visit the zoo, stop by the Day Exhibit and take a close look at the snakes. You’re sure to see this remarkable adaptation in action!
 |
| This ball python shows off its forked tongue as it checks out the camera lens. Photo by Ryan Hawk/WPZ. |
While snakes and reptiles flick this chemical stimulus into their mouth, most all mammals have a vomeronasal organ that assists the animals in detecting minute chemical scents. In cats the organ is stimulated when the cat exhibits the Flehmen reaction, sort of a sneer or curling of their lips.
Some
studies suggest that humans might use this organ to detect pheromones from
other people, potential mates or potential bad dates, but less is known about
its function in humans. This function could be the answer to some behavioral preferences
in people, but very little is known about its usefulness.
 |
| Snakes have a special shape in their lips that allows their tongue to constantly taste the air without having to open their mouth. This reticulated python in the Day Exhibit is a great example. Photo by Dennis Dow/WPZ. |
Next time you visit the zoo, stop by the Day Exhibit and take a close look at the snakes. You’re sure to see this remarkable adaptation in action!
 |
| An endangered Aruba Island rattlesnake. A tiny flick of the tongue can tell a snake a whole lot about its environment. Photo by Dennis Dow/WPZ. |
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