With the snake season approaching, Capetonians are reminded to be mindful on the trails of Table Mountain. Although often harmless, snakes have the potential to inflict some serious damage to hikers who disturb them.
According to The Western Cape Government, as temperatures increase from October onwards, snakes become more active.
Although they are generally peaceful and shy reptiles, snakes can become violent and dangerous, when they feel threatened.
Recognising snakes
It is beneficial for both you, as a hiker, and the medical staff in an emergency, to identify the snakes that you encounter.
According to Hike Addicts, there are 22 different species of snake that inhabit Table Mountain, with the majority being venomous.
Also read: Authorities renew warning about sea snakes on local shores
The most common snakes include the Cape Cobra, the boomslang and the African puff adder.
Cape Cobra:
Cape Cobras can be bright yellow, golden brown or dark brown, but they also have extreme variation in their colouring, so this is not a primary identifier for these snakes.
They are medium-sized snakes that reach a maximum length of just over 1.8m.
Cape Cobras are found in fynbos and bushveld areas.
They possess venom that can cause the heart, nervous and respiratory systems to malfunction, making this venom extremely lethal as you can die in as little as an hour with this poison in your bloodstream.
Boomslang:
Boomslangs have large heads and eyes and can grow up to two meters long.
Males are light green with black or blue scales whilst females are brown in appearance.
These snakes primarily live in trees, as their name is Afrikaans for ‘tree snake’, but can also descend to the ground.
Boomslang venom is a slow-acting hemotoxin, which is a toxin that destroys red blood cells and can result in internal bleeding.
African puff adder:
African puff adders have triangular-shaped heads, pointy nostrils and long fangs.
They range from yellow-brown to light-brown in colour.
These snakes are also responsible for the most snake bite deaths in Africa.
Although they appear lazy, when African puff adders are disturbed, they hiss loudly, curl up in an S-shape and strike fast.
They are dangerous in the sense that they produce large amounts of cytotoxic venom – venom that is toxic to living cells.
Other snakes to avoid:
Some snake bites do not cause fatalities, but can result in other unpleasant physical symptoms.
Rinkhals and berg adders, also known as Cape mountain adders, are a few examples of these kinds of snakes.
Encountering snakes
Before setting off on your hike, there are some basic rules that you should keep in mind.
It is advised to never hike alone and to keep along the trail when hiking, as well as not straying off route where the ground is not properly visible.
Be aware that an encounter with a snake is unlikely but not impossible.
While on the mountain, step onto rocks and logs instead of directly over them, so that you can check what is on the other side. Do not put your hands or feet into holes, as this is often where snakes lie.
If you see a snake, do not approach them, even if you think they are dead. Some snakes play dead as a survival tactic, and will attack you if they are disturbed.
The most important thing when encountering a snake is to not make the snake feel threatened.
You must freeze immediately and move slowly, as you will then be perceived as less of a threat.
Observe the snake’s movements: if it stays slithering on the ground, it will most likely move away. If the snake rears up, it is likely to strike, and you need to be very cautious in your movements.
It is important to note that snakes move in both straight lines and in side-to-side movements.
Snake bites: what to do
Unfortunately, there is little to be done with first aid when someone is bitten by a snake. The most important thing is to get the victim to the nearest medical facility as quickly as possible.
Once bitten, the victim and others need to be moved away from the snake to a safe place.
Medics should be called immediately and if there isn’t any service and no way to alert others for help, the victim needs to move slowly when leaving the mountain.
Ideally, they should be laid down, as movement stimulates the venom to move through the bloodstream.
The victim needs to be encouraged to remain calm as panicking speeds up your metabolism and will make the poison spread faster throughout the body.
More damage can be done through shock than by the bite.
Try to identify or memorise the snake that bit the victim, or take a picture of it if it is safe enough to do so. This will assist the medical staff in what steps to take to treat the bite.
When bitten by a Cape Cobra, the victim’s breathing will become compromised. In this case, mouth-to-mouth is a recommended first aid step.
Be aware that some snakes spit their venom. If this venom reaches your eyes, you will need to rinse it out with water as soon as possible.
When someone is bitten by a snake, there are a few things you should never do.
Do not try to suck the venom out, do not squeeze the bite in an attempt to get the poison out and do not apply a tourniquet (a tight bandage).
It can be difficult to remember all of this information on your own, and there are specialists who have made things easier for us.
Download African Snakebites Institute’s app, as it includes first aid information, snake identification features, snake removal information, and more.
Sources: https://www.nature-reserve.co.za/, https://www.forgesa.com/
Also read:
Highly venomous sea snakes left stranded on Western Cape beaches
Picture: Unsplash
