Every year on May 1st, the small Italian village of Cocullo celebrates the day of Saint Domenic in a truly unique way. During a religious procession, a statue of the saint is adorned with harmless snakes, adding a touch of the bizarre to the festivities. This tradition, known as the festa dei serpari or festival of the snake-catchers, has deep-rooted origins that may date back centuries.
One man eager to unravel the mysteries surrounding this tradition is Gianpaolo Montinaro, a biologist from the University of Bari Aldo Moro in Italy. It took him years to convince the villagers that studying the snakes would be beneficial for both the reptiles and the community. The serpari are only allowed to catch local snakes, such as the green whip snake (Hierophis viridiflavus) and the four-lined snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata), in the weeks leading up to the procession. These snakes are then released back into the wild at the exact spot where they were found.
A statue of the saint in Cucullo, Italy, is draped with harmless local snakes
Piero Castellano
Prior to each procession, Montinaro and his team set up a temporary health clinic for the snakes at the local museum. Here, they conduct various tests and treatments on the reptiles, including measuring their length and weight, taking swabs and blood samples, and implanting microchips for identification purposes. They also treat wounds and remove parasites from the snakes’ bodies and mouths.
A researcher removing parasites from a four-lined snake’s mouth
Piero Castellano
Over nearly two decades of research, Montinaro has found that the snake population in Cocullo is thriving, with no signs of dangerous diseases that have affected other European snake populations. This research also has potential benefits for humans, as snakes can pick up microbes from the ground, helping researchers identify novel pathogens that could pose a threat to human health.
The snakes are released where they were found
Piero Castellano
This unique tradition in Cocullo not only adds a touch of whimsy to the village’s celebrations but also serves as a valuable research opportunity for scientists like Montinaro. By studying the local snake population, researchers can gain insights into both animal and human health, making this seemingly strange tradition a fascinating intersection of culture and science.
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