Dangerous Snakes of the Lowveld | Jason Stewart

Posted in Interactive | Lifestyle | Local Personalities | Nature & Outdoors | Wildlife

Many people in the Lowveld know Jason Stewart simply as the snake guy as he is often seen at festivals with his collection of indigenous venomous snakes. ShowMe Nelspruit got the chance to spend some time with him at Perry’s Bridge Reptile Park to find out more about dangerous snakes of Mpumalanga.

By Benno Stander

Jason Stewart with a snouted cobra

Jason originally came from Malawi in 1974 and when he made friends in South Africa it was with a bunch of kids that regularly caught snakes. Although he would not recommend this hobby to children it did spark a lifelong fascination that is as strong now as it was back then.

“When I turned 16 I was able to get a job at the Transvaal Snake Park where I worked school holidays and weekends as a temporary assistant to the curator. I did this for about 5 years and most of what I know about snakes I learnt there,” explains Jason. “It was so exciting to work there as there was a very interesting collection of exotic snakes that most people had only heard of.”

From that time he worked at various reptile parks and although he now helps out at Perry’s Bridge Reptile Park, he mostly does his own thing that involves talks and demonstrations to educate people about snakes. “People and snakes would get along a lot better if what people believe about snakes were not based on blockbuster movies and camp fire tales,” Jason laughs.

The fact however is that in the unlikely event of a person being bitten by a snake, there is real danger if the snake is highly venomous. With the help of Jason we compiled this list of snakes to try and avoid.

Remember, when bitten by a snake the first thing to do is always to seek medical help! Call Mediclinic Nelspruit on 013 759 0500

The 5 most dangerous snakes of the Lowveld

Puff Adder | Mozambican Spitting Cobra | Black Mamba | Snouted Cobra | Boomslang

When one talks of dangerous snakes it does not necessarily mean the most venomous. Some snakes are extremely venomous but are not considered dangerous simply because the chances of running into them are so slim that they hardly pose any danger to us.

A good example of this is the vine snake, also known as bird snake and twig snake. This thin snake gets its name from its body that resembles a thin vine. This makes it extremely hard to spot and the fact that it often spends long periods of time completely motionless makes seeing one of them quite the rare occasion. They live almost exclusively in trees and are sometimes found when birds spot them and show them out with loud chirping. It can deliver very dangerous Hemotoxic venom with a bite but since the snake is so scarce, and almost never crosses paths with humans, it is not regarded as a dangerous snake.

Vine Snake

The Puff Adder

Jason once asked a group of kids what they think one should do to avoid being bitten by a puff adder. One boy was quick to reply, “You never go out of the house.”

Although this cannot be said to be wrong, Jason was actually looking for, stick to open pathways where you can see where you are stepping and wear high boots. Most puff adder bites happen when people step on, or close to puff adders. They are slow and sluggish and usually don’t move off when they become aware of people approaching as they rely on their camouflage to stay undiscovered.

According to Jason some studies have shown that even in the event of someone stepping right next to the snake it still won’t strike 80% of the time. If you do however step close to one and notice it the best thing is to first look at what the snake is doing. If it is stretched out it will probably coil backwards and away from you, in which case you can slowly move away. If it is already coiled it is able to strike rapidly so be very careful when moving.

If you are unlucky enough to get bitten by a puff adder it is important to understand that the venom is cytotoxic and local. This means the venom won’t spread rapidly and there is no need for a pressure bandage. Just get medical help as soon as possible.

Puff Adder

Mozambican Spitting Cobra

This snake is not as shy as some of the others and is often found around houses especially in and around Nelspruit. Most incidents happen when people encounter them at night and there have been some incidents reported where children have been bitten when rolling onto a snake in their sleep.

The best way to keep these snakes from moving in is to minimise hiding place for them. A clean yard with cut grass is a lot more undesirable than one with lots of bush and rubble. Snakes aren’t keen on being exposed.

Its venom is cytotoxic and neurotoxic so a bite can cause tissue damage but can also cause respiratory problems. The quantities of the two types of venom tend to vary in individual snakes but most commonly tissue damage is the biggest issue when bitten.

When you encounter one of these snakes in your house it is best to get someone who will be able to remove it. Just be sure that whoever takes on this task is knowledgeable and wears protective eyewear since these snakes will spit long before you get within striking range.

Black Mamba

This snake made it to the list not because it is a major threat to humans, but simply because its venom is quite lethal. Black mambas have strong neurotoxic venom that can shut down the human nervous system and can be deadly. Apart from this they are also extremely fast and aggressive when threatened.

If you do encounter a black mamba it is best to keep still as the snake will most probably simply look for a way out and will head off as soon as it can. Movement on the other hand might let it feel threatened.

That said it is however important to note that black mamba bites and encounters are very uncommon and most bite cases reported are due to incorrect handling of the snakes. Simply put, black mambas don’t want you to find them and they are usually able to notice you long before you notice them, and then make off in great haste. They are not commonly found around houses as they are quite shy.

In the case of a bite a compression bandage can slow the spreading of the venom but most importantly, medical care should be found as soon as possible. Every minute counts.

Black Mamba

Snouted Cobra

Snouted cobras are rather big snakes and can reach up to two metres in length. They are stocky and have big scales that are coloured pale yellow with darker mottles.

As the Mozambican spitting cobra is found more commonly around Nelspruit, the snouted cobra is found more around White River. They are however not seen as often as the spitting cobra and like the mamba avoid humans as far as possible. When confronted they usually curl up, raise their heads and draw a hood.

Snouted cobras are nocturnal and are therefore most often found at night when they are out hunting. Their venom is strong neurotoxic and bite victims could experience pain and local swelling as well as respiratory problems. Medical help should be found as soon as possible.

Snouted Cobra

Boomslang

Although the vine snake and boomslang are two very different species, they do have a lot in common. The boomslang’s venom is primarily hemotoxic and very dangerous, but like the vine snake it lives up in trees and is hardly ever seen. The snake is most often identified by its extremely large eyes and egg-shaped head. Colouration can vary significantly from light brown with white, to bright green all over, to black upper half with yellow bottom half.

Jason’s advice to people who see a boomslang or vine snake is simple, “Go inside for 30 minutes and when you go back out it will be gone. They are so well hidden I think you are actually quite lucky if you see one.”

In the case of a bite the Boomslang is able to open its jaws up to 170 degrees. The venom disables the blood clotting process and the victim may well die as a result of internal and external bleeding. The venom is slow acting and symptoms may only develop hours after the bite which allows for time to seek medical help and anti-venom. Don’t underestimate the seriousness of the bite due to its late symptoms and seek medical help immediately.