Over the last decade, many authors have devoted themselves to research into attitudes towards individual animals that pose a danger to humans. This group of animals also included snakes. Snakes have a unique life history and are an important link in the food chain to maintain balance in the ecosystem. They are predators and also prey for many vertebrates and non - vertebrates. In the past, they were depicted as a source of admiration and fear, they were used in religious ceremonies and in medicine. All snakes in Slovenia are protected by law and listed by IUCN Red List. In general, attitudes are described as a set of beliefs, behavior and feelings. People’s attitudes towards animals are divided into the following categories: naturalistic, ecological, humanistic, moralistic, scientistic, esthetic, utilitarian, dominionistic, negativistic and neutralistic. People attitude towards nature and organisms is shaped by various factors such as age, gender, personal experience, ethical affiliation and activities in nature. The school can also contribute a lot to a student's positive attitude towards snakes. Students learn about snakes mainly in the 7th grade, where they also learn about their structure, function and importance for the ecosystem. The student’s attitude towards snakes can also be influenced by direct experiences with snakes in nature, around the home, in the zoo and at school. In this survey we investigated the student’s attitude towards snakes. Pupils from 6th to 9th grade from two different primary schools in Slovenia participated. All students were part of a non-random purpose pattern. A survey questionnaire was used for the purpose of the research. The attitudes of primary school children towards snakes and their purpose of protecting snakes were measured using of 5 – point Likert scale. The results showed that student’s attitude is positive. Based on gender, the male students showed more positive attitude then the female students. Depending on age, the students had more or less the same attitudes. We found that there is a positive correlation between the attitudes and the purpose of snake protection. Those students who expressed positive attitudes showed a greater tendency for snake protections. The results also showed a positive influence of direct experience on attitudes. Finally, we wanted to know if there is a connection between the student’s attitude towards snakes and their knowledge about snakes. The results showed that students with good knowledge had a more positive attitudes.
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