(Photo: anat chant/Shutterstock)

Honor the snake in your life

While they might give many folks the heebie-jeebies, snakes deserve some credit for their invaluable place in ecosystems around the world. That's why July 16 is designated as World Snake Day.

Plenty of people who care for snakes as pets will certainly be celebrating their legless companions, but even folks with the worst ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) ought to take some time out of their day to think about the contributions these amazing animals make in the world.

The position of snakes in the food chain is a particularly important one — they do a phenomenal job of controlling populations of insects, amphibians and small mammals like rodents. This is especially important considering many of these animals, especially mice and rats, are notorious disease carriers.

Still convinced that snakes are the horrifying creatures of your darkest nightmares? To honor these slithering reptiles (and maybe change your opinion), MNN brings you a photo roundup of some seriously cute baby snakes! Who knew something so feared could be so adorable?

(Photo: Rebecca/Flickr)

Poppet the baby corn snake

(Photo: Pictureguy/Shutterstock)

Baby garter snake

(Photo: mikeledray/Shutterstock)

Baby green tree python

(Photo: Kassia Marie Ott/Shutterstock)

Baby snow corn snake

(Photo: Gerald A. DeBoer/Shutterstock)

Baby garter snake

(Photo: Tony Alter/Flickr)

Baby northern brown snake

(Photo: istolethetv/Flickr)

Cuddling baby snakes

(Photo: Ben Jeffries/Flickr)

Baby rat snake

(Photo: LissaMonster)

Baby brown snake

(Photo: Dan Rosenberg/Flickr)

Baby mock viper

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