Dangerous snake encounter incidents

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Toko
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Snake Bites

Post by Toko »

From the ASI Reptile News - April 2015 by Johan Marais
Snakes in Your Bed

There is a great deal of speculation about how people are bitten by snakes and one figure that is often quoted is that more than 6,000 people are snakebite victims a year in Southern Africa. Snake lovers are quick to claim that most people are bitten while trying to kill snakes while others think that the majority of victims are snake enthusiasts or keepers that get bitten while capturing or handling a snake. Compared with the total number of bites, snake handlers make up a very small percentage of snakebite victims – probably less than 3%.

We know that the vast majority of snakebite victims are rural people that get bitten when they accidentally stand on a snake or perhaps while working their land, usually barefoot. Most bites happen on warm summer days or nights, often after rain and the vast majority of victims are bitten on the lower leg followed by bites on the hand and arm. The Mozambique Spitting Cobra accounts for the majority of serious bites but very few result in fatalities. Second on the list is the Puff Adder followed by the Stiletto snake. Fatal bites are quite rare and we have not had a fatal bite from a Stiletto snake. The Black Mamba and Cape Cobra account for most fatal bites mainly because of their fast-acting venom that causes progressive weakness and that affects breathing.

It is common knowledge that the vast majority of our snakes are quick to move off when encountered with exceptions like the Puff Adder and Gaboon Adder – they remain very still and rely on their excellent camouflage to avoid detection. And if you are 5 m or further away from any snake you are perfectly safe – there is no snake in Southern Africa that will approach you from five meters away and attack you. Not even a Black Mamba.

Having said that, we are seeing more and more cases of people being bitten while asleep in their beds. This is most puzzling and the logical explanation has been that the snake enters a bed in search of warmth and when accidentally rolled on, strikes out in self-defence. Nice theory but appears to be way off the mark and for a few reasons. Firstly, in well over 95% of such cases the snake responsible is the Mozambique Spitting Cobra (Naja mossambica), also the snake responsible for most serious snakebites especially in Zululand and Swaziland. They are common and actively hunt their prey which consists largely of frogs, rodents and other snakes but they eat just about anything that they come across.

We know that with defensive bites the snakes often give a quick bite without injecting venom, the so-called ‘dry’ bites. Or even when venom is injected in defensive bites, there is usually very little envenomation. But in most of the bites in beds we are seeing severe envenomation and in many cases the victim will have more than one bite. These bites are inflicted on the hands, arms, body, and face and even on the eyes. And although it is largely rural people that are bitten, often while asleep on the floor, there have been a number of tourists bitten while asleep in their bed at a luxury game lodge.

In recent weeks there have been numerous cases of people being bitten by Mozambique Spitting Cobras whilst asleep and many of them children. It appears that the snakes are ending up in houses, either accidentally entering through the gap under perimeter doors of perhaps going into houses in search of food – with their forked tongue they are able to locate prey such as rodents or frogs from great distances. Once inside the house these snakes are crawling up onto beds and then biting people who are asleep. The only logical explanation, and we have debated this at length, is that they are mistaking the victims for food and biting with intent, often more than once.

Their venom is potently cytotoxic and victims must be hospitalised urgently and usually need antivenom. The longer it takes to get to a hospital and the right treatment, the worse the effects of the venom and victims often end up with severe necrosis that requires surgery. We are very keen to run a series of experiments to try and establish exactly why these cobras bite sleeping people and hope to start soon. In the interim, make sure that your doors seal well and that you cannot push a finger into the gap under a door – that will be a big enough gap for a cobra to enter. Even better, put mosquito doors on all your outside doors – snakes seldom enter houses through open windows.


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Re: Bitten by Mozambique Spitting Cobra while asleep

Post by Mel »

Oi, when reading this I reckon that lady that apparently got bitten in her bed while staying at Gharagab was really lucky.
The bush funk (in this case Erik from Gharagab and Andries at Grootkolk) told that it had been a young Cape cobra and
the bite had been a quick one. Seems it had been one of those non-venomous ones and not because the Cape cobra
confused a human being with prey. We actually bumped into the victim the next day and she seemed totally fine.


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Re: Bitten by Mozambique Spitting Cobra while asleep

Post by Lisbeth »

In the interim, make sure that your doors seal well and that you cannot push a finger into the gap under a door – that will be a big enough gap for a cobra to enter. Even better, put mosquito doors on all your outside doors – snakes seldom enter houses through open windows.
None of the Sanparks cottages will be safe, there is always a hole somewhere O**


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Re: Bitten by Mozambique Spitting Cobra while asleep

Post by nan »

a hole :-? lot of holes lol

was a big Cobra under our chalet at Gharagab :shock:
and one near the car the day after O-/


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Re: Bitten by Mozambique Spitting Cobra while asleep

Post by Lisbeth »

Maybe the same, Nan? It had grown fond of you ;-)


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Re: Man dies following black mamba bite

Post by Polentswa »

That's what happens when you try and kill a necessary predator ..leave them alone


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Video: Chad and the black mamba

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Posted on 27 June, 2018 by Tanda Tula in Animal Encounters, Destinations, Kruger, Multimedia, South Africa, Videos, Wildlife

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Chad and Donald with the black mamba © Tanda Tula

Chad Cocking, a much-loved game ranger at Tanda Tula Safari Camp, received quite an unexpected surprise last week when he found a near three-metre black mamba underneath his bed.

It’s amazing how humans tend to fear things that they do not understand. Often these fearful thoughts are irrational. It is also interesting to note how a little bit of education, experience and mentorship can change someone’s opinion on their fears. This was the case for Chad when he discovered an unknown fear.

Chad thinks back on the moment when he was relaxing, reading an article in bed. Although he heard a strange sound, he attributed it to his neighbour watering the garden. When the sound came closer and became more distinctive, he realised that his justification for the sound was illogical and he decided to investigate its source. That was when he discovered his unexpected visitor – a black mamba under his bed!

Chad’s body filled with adrenaline as he watched the huge, gunmetal grey snake slide past his bedroom and into his bathroom.

Chad struggled with his instinctive reaction to run, and his informed mind which told him to stay still. While his mind wondered of the possibility that the black mamba was searching for a meal, the snake returned from bathroom, reigniting the panic. Those few seconds that the snake was in the room felt like an eternity, and then it slid back into the bathroom.

As soon as the tail of the snake disappeared into the bathroom, Chad managed to slide the door closed with a huge sigh of relief. He contacted Dale, General Manager of Tanda Tula, to help with the safe removal of the snake. After realising that the snake was indeed quite large, Dale apologised for initially laughing at Chad.

They called Donald Strydom, the owner of Kinyonga Reptile Centre, who often gives insightful and educational talks at the Safari Camp, allowing guests and staff to interact with the snakes and remove some of the initial fear. Donald’s passion for protecting these incredible reptiles made him the perfect person to safely remove and relocate the black mamba.

Donald arrived, cool and calm, and began informing the crowd that had gathered about typical snake behaviour. He explained that it was most likely that the warm day encouraged the snake to be out and about, looking for a meal. He had probably wandered into Chad’s house accidentally and would have left on his own accord upon realising that there was no food.

After the briefing, Donald moved into the house explaining his process, and reemerged within a few seconds, the snake firmly secured in his snake tongs. He managed to get the snake into a secure position and allowed everyone to touch it before releasing it safely into the wild.

Chad commented on the way Donald managed to remain calm the entire time, explaining the behaviour of the snake, including the strange curry smell that the snake released. Looking back on the events of the day, Chad is amazed to note how differently he and Donald approached the situation based on their level of understanding. Educating people about the importance of snakes in the environment can alleviate a lot of irrational fear.

Watch Tanda Tula’s video of Donald removing the mamba

phpBB [video]


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Re: Video: Chad and the black mamba

Post by Flutterby »

Very interesting! \O Aren't we lucky to have people like Donald around who can take care of the creepy crawlies! lol


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Re: Video: Chad and the black mamba

Post by Lisbeth »

Not everybody has somebody around the corner O**


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Re: Video: Chad and the black mamba

Post by Flutterby »

True!! Luckily we have never encountered a snake in our house. Years ago, the Brat and a friend put a plastic snake on his bedroom windowsill to trick the SO. They came screeching through the house and I was very surprised when SO grabbed a broom and headed to the bedroom. The snake was behind a net curtain so it looked very real!! SO attacked it with vigour but we couldn't contain our laughter and he soon realised he'd been set up! =O:

It it had been a rat or a mouse, however, he would have left the house and let me deal with it! O** lol


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