Snakes have plenty of natural enemies; birds of prey, mongooses and honey badgers are all deadly foes.

The natural enemies of snakes are the animals that prey on snakes in nature. Although snakes are often regarded as fearsome reptiles, they are likewise preyed upon by other animals in the food chain, and young snakes and snake eggs are especially vulnerable to attack. Their natural enemies include both species that specialise in hunting snakes and opportunistic hunters that prey on them when they happen to meet.

Birds of prey are among the most common natural enemies of snakes; serpent eagles, hawks and similar birds have keen eyesight and powerful talons and beaks, and can dive from the air to seize snakes on the ground. Among mammals, mongooses are noted for their agility and tolerance of snake venom, while honey badgers, wild boars, badgers and others also dig out burrows in search of snakes. In addition, king snakes, king cobras and others themselves prey on other snakes, so snakes also number among the natural enemies of snakes; hedgehogs, herons and other birds may likewise eat young snakes or small snakes in different environments.

Many people wonder whether venomous snakes have natural enemies. The answer is that they do; many predators rely on quick reactions, thick fur or scales to reduce the chance of being bitten, and some species have a strong tolerance for certain snake venoms, though they are not completely immune. For this reason, venomous snakes are likewise kept in check in nature, and snakes and their natural enemies have long maintained a relationship of mutual restraint.

From an ecological and agricultural point of view, the natural enemies of snakes help regulate snake populations and maintain ecological balance; snakes themselves are also natural enemies of rodents in farmland and play a positive role in controlling rodent damage. The idea of using natural enemies to control pests in organic farming is similar, as both rely on predator-prey relationships in nature to regulate populations. Therefore, in production, wild animals such as birds of prey and mongooses should be protected so that the chain of natural enemies can function naturally and dependence on chemicals can be reduced.