English Language and Literature ETDs
Publication Date
Summer 7-28-2026
Abstract
In the narrative-driven science book, Entwined: An Ethological Approach to Our Relationship with Snakes, a time-old reckoning is brought to surface: what is the real reason humans dislike snakes? Might such loathing be justified? More than just an exploration of our complex interspecies history, Entwined examines the areas in which humans and snakes might overlap more than previously thought. To elucidate the enigmatic workings of the ophidian mind, I have decentered the human experience and adopted Indigenous cosmological lenses, allowing us to better understand these seemingly distant animals simply as kindred beings of the taxonomic classification Animalia. While empirical data supporting such theory is limited, Entwined makes use of currently available scholarship to support its claims while also serving as a hopeful catalyst to inspire further scholarship—academic and otherwise—in support of perhaps one of the most marginalized suborders on the planet.
Degree Name
MFA Creative Writing
Level of Degree
Masters
Department Name
English
First Committee Member (Chair)
Dr. Stephen Benz
Second Committee Member
Dr. Andrew Bourelle
Third Committee Member
Dr. Tiffany Bourelle
Fourth Committee Member
Dr. Jesús Rivas
Language
English
Keywords
Snake behavior, Snake, Ethology, Human-snake conflict, Herpetology, Conservation
Document Type
Dissertation
Recommended Citation
Lucero, Bianca A.. "Entwined: An Ethological Approach to Our Relationship with Snakes." (2026). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/engl_etds/475