大象传媒

Less is more when it comes to snakes.

Some snakes can adjust the angle of individual scales, to fine-tune their grip, making them excellent climbers.

are able to supplement their air supply by absorbing oxygen from the surrounding water through their skin. More than 25% of their needs can be met this way.

To fuel digestion, a organs dramatically increase in size. The heart, liver, and intestines grow by as much as 150 per cent to take on the task.

Key adaptation - their body plan

Without feet to lift its body, the entire weight of a snake rests on the ground. To spread the load evenly, a snake鈥檚 internal organs are not clustered in one place like ours, but arranged throughout the body in a linear fashion. The liver and heart are elongated, kidneys are not paired side-by side, but sit one behind the other and a long thin lung spans almost half the length of the body, accompanied by a tiny vestigial second lung. Protecting these delicate organs, a snake can have up to 400 pairs of ribs and as many as 24 muscles are involved with the movement of each pair. It鈥檚 this simple but very effective body plan that gives snakes their incredible strength, flexibility and diversity of movement.