Chinese illustrator and animator Yogin, who has been known for their playful characters such as Annoying Bird, Savage Fox and Sharkitty, has created a new animated character that is every bit as equally endearing—Spot the Snake. Inspired by their real life pet snake, Spot is a homebody who behaves like a dog. He can be found living at home or at a hospital, where he helps children and adults alike to pass time and alleviate their medical anxieties as they wait for their turn with doctors.
Spot the Snake was made following the success of Sharkitty, a kitten-like pet shark that helped people to perceive sharks in a different light. By drawing parallels between sharks and kittens, Yogin has helped people paint a positive image of sharks, countering how the 1975 movie Jaws had portrayed sharks as vicious killers, which led to a 70 percent decline in shark populations as people encouraged shark culling. Just like Sharkitty, Snake the Spot is here to give people a lighthearted understanding of the elusive lives of snakes. It helps cultivate their appreciation of different snake species, a move that will eventually lead them to encourage snake conservation and preservation. This is why Snake the Spot by Yogin is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Life on Land.
As climate change ravages the planet, changes in temperature and rainfall patterns have influenced the lives of snakes around the globe. “Some species do well in more arid areas while others prefer humid areas. But the greatest diversity of species occurs in tropical forests with hot and humid climates, however, with climate change, tropical zones are getting smaller and arid zones are expanding,” says Pablo Ariel Martinez, a biology professor at the Federal University of Sergipe in Brazil. What this means is that snakes from arid climates will be able to expand their territory, while others will see their habitats significantly reduced. As an example, certain Amazonian snake species, such as the Central American pit viper (Bothrops asper), the Southern American bushmaster (Lachesis muta), the hognosed pit viper (Porthidium nasutum), the Brazil’s Lancehead (Bothrops brazili) and the red-tailed coral snake (Micrurus mipartitus) are also seeing up to 70 percent decrease in habitat.
Snakes not only play an important role as predators in the ecological cycle, but also play a key role in pharmaceuticals. Snake venom is used to manufacture medicines for several chronic diseases, including neurological disease, cardiac diseases and even cancer. Hence, a need for initiatives such as Spot the Snake to help the public empathize with the species and see the urgent need for their preservation and conservation.
Yogin’s Spot the Snake introduces a charming, animated pet snake to foster greater appreciation and understanding of snakes. Much like Yogin's Sharkitty, which helps to change people’s perceptions of sharks, Spot the Snake offers a gentle, playful way for audiences to see snakes as friendly, misunderstood creatures instead of dangerous pests. This character not only encourages empathy but also promotes awareness of the vital ecological and medicinal roles snakes play, particularly as climate change increasingly threatens their habitats. By making snake conservation relatable and engaging, Spot the Snake inspiring a new generation to care about preserving snake species and their ecosystems.
Find out more about Spot the Snake and other initiatives by Yogin on their Hu Creates page or Instagram @snakespotart.