Science cartoon based on "A Deadly Fungus is Eating the Scales off Snakes"

A Deadly Fungus is Eating the Scales off Snakes

Generally people are scared of snakes, whether it is poisonous or not. At the same time, snakes are having threat from lot many predators ranging from bird, reptiles and mammals including human being too. Snakes have a definite and important role in the ecosystem and they are important organisms in term of food web or food chain. Snake fungal disease is caused by fungi Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola is well known but known. Scientists know how fungi are infecting the snakes, but not why fungi is infecting the snakes. Most important part of the research, declining of snakes. 

Here I am presenting a cartoon based on the above research.
 

References:

Original research paper: Allender, M. C., Raudabaugh, D. B., Gleason, F. H., & Miller, A. N. (2015). The natural history, ecology, and epidemiology of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola and its potential impact on free-ranging snake populations. Fungal Ecology. DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2015.05.003.

Article in Conservation Magazine: A mysterious infection is killing the snakes of the eastern US