Beware Of The Snakes

The pleasant weather often tempts residents to go out camping, wadi bashing, on desert safaris, fishing and boating trips. But beware, as this is also the time many of the creepy crawlies become active.

While the sea snakes here are highly venomous they do not strike people. Among the land snakes, the most dangerous one is the Saw Scaled Viper that lives in the desert, near farming areas and in the mountains. Second is the sand or horned viper that lives only in sandy areas. The carpet viper and false horned viper are found in the hills.

A simple way to recognise a venomous viper is that its head is larger, diamond-shaped and heavier than the narrow neck separating the bulky body from the head. Most non-venomous land snakes have cylindrical, slender bodies and a small head.

The vibrations of someone approaching can alert a viper. In defence the viper might produce a loud hissing or rasping sound by rubbing its rough scales against each other which can be heard from five to 10 metres away. If one hears such a sound he or she should back off.

If someone gets bitten by a viper he or she must be rushed to a hospital equipped with antivenom. There is virtually no first aid prescription except keeping the person awake.

Always avoid snakes, do not disturb them and never touch a snake dead or alive. Let the experts do their job.