Snake On The Move: Islamabad Residents Urged To Stay Vigilant As Cold Weather Arrives

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Islamabad: During cold weather, the snakes tend to move towards warmer places, and therefore, human settlements become an ideal place for them to relocate from the natural environment, informed Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) official.

The IWMB has warned the capital residents residing in the areas close to Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) to stay alert and ensure precautionary measures against snake bites or encounters during the winter season.

The IWMB advisory came after a TikTok, a short-form video hosting service used by millions, video that has gone viral projecting a brown Krait snake found in a house in a B-17 housing society that was later killed by its inhabitants.

The official underlined that awareness about venomous snakes is very important for the masses as every living creature bites in its Défense, whether it is a snake or a leopard.

In case of an encounter, the public priority should be to avoid making the snake aggressive or attacking it, but rather to remain calm, give a safe route for the snake to slither away, and do not forget to call the IWMB for assistance, he explained.

In case of a snake bite in MHNP, the public is urged to immediately inform the following numbers for first aid: 051-260-1912 and 0309-530-2425. The antidote is available at the IWMB office and will be used as per the doctor’s recommendations.

According to the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT), in case of having an encounter with snakes, an individual must not disturb, approach, corner, provoke, attack, or attempt to handle snakes, even if they are said to be harmless species or appear to be dead (some snakes sham death defensively).

Even a severed head may bite! (dismembered snakehead) If you corner a snake inadvertently, keep absolutely still until it has slithered away. Snakes strike only at moving objects, IAMAT added.

Moreover, one should not put hands blindly down inside rucksacks (a British man in Sierra Leone opened his bag and was bitten by a green mamba that was inside); do not put hands or poke sticks into burrows or holes.

In the case of a snake bite, one must reassure the victim that many bites are by harmless snakes, and even the most venomous snakes often bite without injecting harmful amounts of venom (dry bites).

Usually, if the snake has injected venom, serious effects will not develop for hours or even days, allowing plenty of time for effective medical treatment.

Apply a pressure pad directly over the bite wound and immobilize the whole patient, especially the bitten limb. Remove tight rings, bracelets, anklets, bands, clothing, etc. from the bitten limb. Transport the victim to medical care as quickly, safely and passively as possible.

The Association warned that one must not use traditional first-aid methods, such as cutting the bite site, using vacuum extractor suction, applying tight bands (tourniquets) around the bitten limb, or applying electric shock, ice packs, herbal concoctions, black snake stones, or chemicals on the wound. All these methods are useless and potentially harmful.

Do not give aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents for pain; they exaggerate bleeding problems. Do not attempt to chase or kill the snake, risking more bites, it further stated.