With the onset of the first summer rains, the lowveld is buzzing with activity. The plants are bursting into leaf and flower, birds are building nests and frog choruses are deafening around watering holes, dams and ponds. The emergence of termite alates (flying ants) often causes a variety of animals to go on a feeding spree.
The first rains will often signal an increase in snake activity. As the lowveld winters are not too cold, most reptiles will not truly hibernate, but they are often less active. Many snakes will remain underground during the dry winter months. The temperatures below ground are stable and living below ground will reduce water loss in the snakes. As the summer rains arrive, the snakes will move above ground in search of food and water. Many snakes will feed on the abundance of frogs, especially snakes like the Mozambique spitting cobra and the herald snake. This is often a problem when frogs are found near houses, feeding on insects attracted to lights.
There are several certified snake removers across the Lowveld, and their contact information can be found on the free ASI SNAKES app. These trained removers can catch and relocate the snakes to a safer area, away from people and pets. This is a far safer option than attempting to catch the snake yourself. There are snake handling courses held in Hoedspruit and Mbombela (Nelspruit) every few months. The dates can be found on the African Snakebite Institute website or app.
Snakebites are an unpleasant and expensive experience. A problem with certain areas, like Hoedspruit, is that there is no hospital currently available. The same applies to many camps and lodges in Kruger. Most victims will need to be transported to Mbombela (Nelspruit) or Tzaneen. Bites are easily treated in a hospital and ideally the victim must be transported as soon as possible. Highly venomous snakes like black mambas, may cause serious symptoms within 2 – 6 hours after a bite, and the person is likely to struggle to breathe, as the muscles around the lungs become paralyzed. These victims can be kept alive by any form of ventilation whilst en route to the hospital. Occasionally, black mamba bites may be serious in under an hour, however in the majority of bites it usually takes more than two hours to become critical.
If you manage a lodge or work with guests, it is advisable to have a snakebite protocol in place and have contact details for an ambulance service and your local hospital.
Other venomous snakes like puff adders, Mozambique spitting cobras and boomslang are generally only critical after 24 hours, but the tissue damage can be serious and ideally you want treatment as soon as possible.
As the temperatures increase and the rainy season commences, be prepared for an increase in snake activity. Keep doors closed, especially at night, and be watchful when out in the garden or on walks. Save the number for a local snake catcher or do a snake handling course so you can safely remove a problem snake. Snakes generally move off quickly when encountered but will defend themselves if threatened or cornered.
Check out the website on www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com – and get your FREE App on the link http://bit.ly/snakebiteapp
