These legless reptiles have a far worse reputation than they deserve. Most snakes are passive, docile creatures and would rather move away from humans than attack them. There are 160 different snake species in Southern Africa, and only 18 of these species are known to have potentially fatal venom.

99% of all snake bite victims live to tell the tale. Even bites by the most venomous of snakes will not prove fatal so long as the victim remains calm, and seeks immediate medical attention. Here we will look briefly at two of the better known venomous snakes that may be encountered in the bush, and how to deal with their bites.

Puff Adders

These snakes are very lazy and docile, and they have a habit of sunbathing across or near to pathways. They are short and fat in appearance and very well camouflaged. Unlike most other snakes, they do not try to get out of your way when they hear you coming. Instead they just lie there, waiting to strike if disturbed. This is one of the reasons that makes them the snake responsible for the highest amount of deadly bites in Africa.

If you step over a puff adder, or worse, step on it, it will strike out in defence. Adders strike very quickly, covering the distance of their body length in under a second. Unlike some other snakes, adders strike with a quick bite and then release immediately. If you have a ‘strike and release’ bite but don’t see the snake, it is likely to be an adder.

Puff adders have cytotoxic venom, which means the bite will be extremely painful, and the area of the bite will swell and discolour. The most important thing to remember if you are bitten by a snake is to stay calm. Do not panic or move about. Just relax, and ask for medical attention.

If you are bitten by a cytotoxic snake and no immediate first aid is available, you may follow these simple guidelines:

• Stay calm, relax and breathe gently.
• Keep drinking fluid, but not if you have problems swallowing.
• Apply a sterile dressing to the wound if possible.
• DO NOT try to suck the venom out of the bite, unless you have the correct kit. NEVER use your mouth.
• DO NOT squeeze the bite.
• DO NOT apply a bandage or tourniquet.

Puff adders are very common throughout Africa. If you are bitten, follow the steps above and remain calm, and you will survive the experience. Fear of snakes and snake bites is, ironically, the thing that often kills people, as they panic which sends the venom faster through their bloodstream leading to a more severe condition.

Black Mamba

This is the most dangerous snake in Africa, perhaps the most dangerous snake in the world. Nicknamed the ’15 minute snake’, due to its highly venomous and fatal bite, black mambas are very aggressive and are known to rear-up on people when they feel cornered.

They are long and slender in appearance, with a grey colouring. They get the name black mamba because the skin inside their mouth is black.

If you encounter a black mamba, freeze, observe the snake to ensure it’s not coming after you, and then move away immediately. They are the fastest moving snakes in Africa but a human can still outrun them. So if in doubt, run away!

Black mambas have neurotoxic venom, as do cobras. Symptoms of a neurotoxic bite are a mild burning pain and small swelling at the bite location. The next signs are often a metallic taste in the mouth, pins and needles and numbness of the limbs, and the victim will later experience nausea, drowsiness, sweating and hyper-salivation, and eventually paralysis. As with any snake bite, the victim must remain absolutely calm and seek immediate medical attention.

If you are bitten by a neurotoxic snake and no immediate first aid is available, you may follow these simple guidelines.

• Stay calm, relax and breathe gently.
• Immediately apply a crepe bandage firmly over the wound, as if treating a muscle sprain. This will reduce the amount of venom entering the bloodstream, but it must not cut off circulation. Never apply a tourniquet.
• DO NOT try to suck the venom out of the bite, unless you have the correct kit. NEVER use your mouth.
• DO NOT squeeze the bite.

Many people have survived bites from black mambas, primarily because they have followed the steps above and remained absolutely calm.

In the event of an encounter with a spitting cobra, a snake that sprays venom into the victim’s eyes with remarkable accuracy, you should rinse the eyes with water, and keep rinsing for 20 minutes. You may use milk or even fruit juice as an alternative. Do not rub the eyes.

Don’t Panic

One further note about snake bites – just because a dangerous snake has bitten you, it does not mean the bite will be fatal or even serious. Snakes control the amount of venom they pump into you. So a small dose of cytotoxic venom is unlikely to prove fatal. In general, it is thought that younger, smaller snakes tend to pump more venom into their victims, as they panic more readily when cornered and bite aggressively.

A ranger was out trekking in the bush on his own, and he was bitten by a mozambique spitting cobra, a neurotoxic snake. Staying absolutely calm, he walked very slowly and casually through the reserve for a few miles, enjoying the scenery and controlling his breathing, until he bumped into the other rangers in their vehicle. After a brief conversation about the latest cricket scores, they asked him what he was doing. He replied that he was walking to hospital because a cobra had just bitten him! They immediately drove him to the hospital but he told them all to stop panicking and to stay calm, as he was trying to keep his heart rate low and relaxed and they were making it worse! So a large part of surviving snake bites is in the mind! He lived to tell this tale.

Anti-venom

Some people are allergic to anti-venom and the reaction can prove fatal. The alternative is to go onto a drip and have clean blood pumped through your system. The doctor at the time will be able to advise you. People have survived even mamba bites without any need for anti-venom. People who are allergic to animals such as horses, goats and sheep etc, may well be allergic to anti-venom, as the antibodies from these animals are used to create some of the active ingredients in anti-venom.