Relation Between Scorpions and Humans
“I hate them” “I’m afraid” are some of the expressions that many people use when referring to scorpions. Their bad reputation has catapulted them as freaks, wicked and very dangerous beings, so the first reactions are usually of rejection.
While some of them are dangerous and harmful to human health; they are not like canines or domestic cats that we can frequently play or sleep with them, although, there are people who have come to do this!
Kanchana Ketkaew is a Filipino woman who lived for 33 days (from December 22, 2008, to January 24, 2009) in a room with 5,320 scorpions. During that time she was stung thirteen times. This accomplishment earned her a Guinness Record for being the only human being, so far, daring to do this.
Kanchana Ketkaew is a Filipino woman who lived in a room with 5,320 scorpions.
There are a lot of videos on the Internet where people are observed eating live scorpions. More than an entertaining material, this is considered by many an undesirable action that only strikes against the life of these beings.
There are also markets in China that sell all kinds of exotic or dangerous specimens. Starfish, worms, snakes, cockroaches, and of course, scorpions can be found in these popular places. The controversy arises when the defenders of nature disclose the methods used for their capture and slaughter. The scorpions are crossed with a wooden stick and arranged in a skewer shape while still alive. After that, they fry scorpions in boiling oil and cook them for a few seconds, also alive. What for them is normal, for the rest of the world can be outrageous, regardless if they are scorpions.
On the other hand, these unique arachnids have been key to the improvement of diseases such as cancer or the creation of drugs against heart diseases. In the article “Scorpion Venom” you can learn more about this.
The Durango bark scorpion (Centruroides suffusus) is one of the most venomous scorpions in Mexico. During the hot season, it proliferates more than any other time of the year, which brings adverse consequences for the people. Many infestations have been reported in homes, workplaces and schools, where children have suffered the effects of their stings. The people sleep fearing of being bitten during the night.
Due to the large number available sometimes, some people capture these arachnids to produce souvenirs for tourism. They make key chains, glasses, ashtrays, bags, bottles of alcohol, among other items with scorpions; this is considered a form of animal cruelty by some, but others see it as a way to make money. Such activity is not performed only in Durango but in some places in Texas or Arizona and Southeast Asia but with other types of scorpions, which they also market via the Internet.
The Durango bark scorpion is one of the most venomous scorpions in Mexico.
Some people also keep scorpions as pets. Their relatively inexpensive and easy maintenance has made them very popular among those who like exotic pets. Although they are also poisonous, those selected to keep are the species with low levels of toxicity and harmless to humans. Some people also think this is wrong as no one would like to live locked in a small enclosure all his life.
Because of bad experiences or false ideas caused by comments and negative myths, scorpions are hated by people, and almost no one would care to defend them in the case of mistreatment or capture without control.
Also, the fact that they are abundant suggests that the death of a few will not affect or cause their extinction.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centruroides
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYCilOCjNCE
https://nt.gov.au/environment/animals/keeping-wildlife-as-pets/keeping-scorpions
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