THE HINDU (Chennai, India) 09 June 08 Smitten by snakes - The fear of snakes is baseless (W. Sreelalitha)
I have seen snakes at least a good half-a-dozen times in the wild, and on every occasion I have been fascinated at how a limbless, sliding reptile can scare the daylights out of humans. Every time I hear of a snake beaten to death in the neighbourhood, I think of what India’s snake man Romulus Earl Whitaker once said: “Love them or hate them, snakes are just misunderstood.”
India is home to nearly 275 species of snakes. Interestingly, only four of them are venomous, namely the cobra, krait, Russells viper and the saw-scaled viper. Which means most of the snakes we may encounter are harmless and non-venomous: from the rat snake to the Indian rock python.
So, what are we to do, when greeted by a snake? “Nothing,” says Whitaker. “Snakes are least interested in human beings, and want nothing to do with them. Just stay out of their way, or wait for them to leave the place.” And, when do they bite then? “When people accidentally stamp on them, particularly during dusk or dawn, or when they feel threatened, snakes bite. In self-defence at that.
What should one do if bitten by a snake? “No wasting time, no chanting the mantras. Rush to the hospital at once. And, more importantly, symptoms of shock, such as cold sweat, faintness and nausea must not be mistaken for symptoms of poisoning,” says Whitaker.
But what if I find a snake in the kitchen or my backyard? “Call up the rescue team or the Forest Department.” And, till they arrive? “Snakes usually find a dark or hidden corner. Do not disturb it. Instead, place a cardboard box with a hole, on it, and wait for the rescue team,” he says.
As for the story that the vine snake targets the eye or the forehead, he says that it perhaps is a tale we all heard from our grandparents. It is also very rare that pythons swallow human beings. “There have been three incidents in Malaysia, but not even a single case in India,” asserts Whitaker.
Romulus Whitaker’s Common Indian Snakes: A Field Guide published by Macmillan India Limited is a treasure trove of information on snakes. (Some great pictures too, albeit black and white!)
When asked how to avoid snake bites, David B. Williams, a freelance natural history writer, on a website, said: “Don’t be a drunk man between the ages of 20 and 35, statistically the most commonly bitten people. Other than that, don’t put your hands in places you cannot see, such as cracks, crevices and ledges above your head.”
The fear of snakes is baseless