Sacred Animals and Catholicism

Something I learned about in Peru was their three sacred animals, the condor, the serpent, and the puma. These animals represent the three worlds. The condor represents the upper world. The Puma represents the terrestrial world. The serpent represents the underworld. I think it is interesting that these animals are still considered sacred today because Catholicism is so popular in Peru. I find this interesting because, in Christian religions, the serpent is seen as an evil that derailed humans by convincing Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. The more I thought about this, the more I wondered why the serpent is still seen as a sacred animal for Peruvians. Additionally, keeping these animals sacred in the culture could go against the Catholic belief of not idolizing any false gods. Is it because of a sense of appreciation and acknowledgment for their ancestors who began this belief? Peru has made me wonder about the connections between Catholicism and their sacred animals and I will continue to learn and explore to understand how these can coexist today.