Embarking on a safari to Burkina Fasso, I was confronted with the question of what to do about snake protection.
Facts: W Africa has the highest incidence of snakebites in Africa (WHO data). Burkina (and other W African nations) rarely have supplies of antivenin.
And Pope Francis has not yet provided blanket absolution to African travellers
What is your strategy if travelling to this part of the world? (South African travellers need not worry, SA has excellent resources for snakebite)

Question:
How do you protect yourselves from lethal snakebite during your African safari?

Choices:
No protection except divine intervention
"Snakebite kit" suction, torniquet etc
Carry antivenin (& know how to use) against local snakes
Use Bo Derks G string as torniquet!

 

Might sound silly, but watch where you walk. When you can't watch where you walk (e.g., grass), try to follow a tracker. Beyond that, update your will before you go if you are worried about it.

Definitely watch where you walk. I also use turtleskin gaiters. They are fairly soft and light weight.

The first time I went to Africa (Zim) I was scared spitless of snakes. I hate snakes. I would say I have a phobia, except that I can act around them (generally kill them... Garter, Bull, Rattlesnake, don't matter...)

I felt that given the reputation that the Black Mamba has, that getting antivenin would be a good idea.

Now, I am a licensed physician, and I found that unless I told them that I had a patient who had been bitten by such a snake, and had evidence of it, they could not get me any antivenin. (and quite frankly, the timeframes to get it to me would lead me to think I would have a dead patient before I got it.)

There are some specialty centers that have some, but they are rare.

There are a lot of side effects from most antivenins and they really should be used in a hospital setting.

I have seen no evidence that using a tourniquet, suction device, etc. have any positive effect. Keeping the patient calm, supporting breathing and blood pressure until antivenin is available is really all you can do. In fact I read somewhere that giving the patient benzodiazapines (valium or such) so that they stay calm would be most helpful.

So I think avoiding getting bit is rule #1.

Rule #2 is hope that your evacuation folks can get there and take you to a hospital that has antivenin in time.

In other words, luck.

quote:

Originally posted by Texas Blue Devil:
Definitely watch where you walk. I also use turtleskin gaiters. They are fairly soft and light weight.

Gaiters may offer some protection against the adders but not against the high striking mamba, which is the one likely to kill you.

If its any consolation, clients killed by DG outnumber those from snake bite.

Keep trackers in front of you. They do not miss a thing.

Mike

quote:

There are a lot of side effects from most antivenins and they really should be used in a hospital setting.

I have seen no evidence that using a tourniquet, suction device, etc. have any positive effect.

So I think avoiding getting bit is rule #1.

Rule #2 is hope that your evacuation folks can get there and take you to a hospital that has antivenin in time.

In other words, luck.

Unless there was a positive id on the specie that injected you our doc's treat a snake bite symptomatically. More patients exchange the temporary for the eternity when being administered with anti-venom bodies when they develop an extreme allergy to what was supposed to save them.

Avoid using a tourniquet at all cost. Chances of losing the limb are good even if you were bit by a non-venomous serpent. Put ice on the effected are and bandage above and below the bite. Save some ice for the Scotch.

Depending on what got you you will generally have neuro-toxic, hema-toxic or cyto-toxic venom. Of the 3 I would prefer not being bit.

Follow rules # 1 and 2 above and have the trackers walk in front as they have an ability to see almost everything.

Of course if bit by a black mamba have them lay you down in a straight position. It helps the coroner a whole lot to fit you in a casket once rigor mortis sets in

Enjoy your hunt

I was told there were not too many snakes out it April, unless you get heavy rains. I think you will have to wory about stepping on a lions, a hell of a lot more than a snakes. Good luck on your hunt.

you are just about as likely to get in a plane crash on the flight over as to be bitten by a snake... relax and enjoy the hunt!

I quite agree with Pieter on choosing a non-preference about which type of venomous snake to be bitten by, my choice is also not to be bitten!

The black mamba is regarded as the "most dangerous" and most likely to cause death in the victim of envenomation. But remember that the only real effect of black mamba venom is to eventually stop breathing and heartbeat. Normally that signifies death. But with good care of artificial respiration and keeping the blood circulating - standard CPR procedure kept up for a real long time - the patient will survive with almost no real damage!

Your best safeguard against snakes is KNOWLEDGE! Knowledge particularly of how to avoid snakes, like keeping trackers ahead of you and lots of other advice given by earlier posters. But you should also acquire a good knowledge of how to react when you have indeed been bitted and envenomated. One piece of information or knowledge, that could be very reassuring and add to the enjoyment ofyour trip, is: "How well does your PH know about avoiding the venomous snakes in the hunting area?" A close second most reassuring info is: "How much does your PH know about snakebite emergency in field care and treatment after envenomation?"

Get up to scratch with the basic knowledge - and enjoy your hunt!

I paid attention on my 2 trips to Cameroon. I saw snakes in the rainforest that scared the hell out of the pygmies. No bites.

I don't recall ever reading or hearing about a client hunter being killed by snakebite in africa in the last 20 years. I'm sure there must have been some, but maybe not. I can think of a lot more certain risks on a trip to west Africa, and none involve snakes. Recommend you worry about other more likely threats.

I always take a few rolls of wide compression bandages into the bush with me. This coupled with keeping your eye open is a good preventative measure. If you get bitten on a limb you bandage it up tightly from the bite site upwards. This stops the lymph transporting the venom, and it delays the effects. Often this buys enough time to get to medical treatment. It doesn't help if you are bitten by a long fang snake (eg Gaboon viper) because often they inject venom right into the blood stream. It also doesn't help if you get bitten on the torso, but it is much more effective than torniquets. Gaiters are also a good idea.

Usually snakes are more scared of you than you of them. When snakes hear a noise or see you the will mostly sail away. If you see a snake, stop and give him time to move away, never block a snake's escape or corner him, that is when they attack. Slowly reverse if you see a snake and keep watching him.

Never scratch around in piles of wood or rubbish, it is a favourite hiding place for mice, rats and frogs, they are all snake food.

When you climb over an obstacle, make sure what is on the other side of the obstacle. Puffadders love the sunny side of rocks and tree stumps.

If you are betten, keep still. Venom is transported in the body's limph system, you need to slow that down. Bandage the affected limb with a bandage, not to tight. You start from closest to the heart to the furtest part past the bite wound. Elevate the affected limb and get to a hospital, make sure someone knows CPR. If you are given anti venom make sure you get a shot of anti histamine aswell, to prevent an allergic shock.

I had a few encounters with snakes and were never close to be bitten. The worst was when I almost stepped on a pythons head.

Be careful and you will be okay - Enjoy your hunt.

+1 Jaco

Advice given to me by PH once. If bitten go lie under a tree, get in the shade and fold your arms over your chest. The shade will keep the stink down once you pass and lying down with arms folded over chest makes it easier to put you in coffin. But most importantly update will and make PH beneficiary.

It amazes me the folks that wear sandals and tennis shoes in the field in Africa. Being that I have busted up ankles I always wear 8" summer boots with ankle braces beneath them. That should help with 80% of snakes as most bite around the ankles.
I would actually like to see a FAT Gaboon viper. That would make a real nice pair of cowboy boots.. I do not believe they are in SE Zimbabwe, too bad!

Eight safaris have seen four snakes with perhaps one a mamba but not acting aggressively. You have the best defense which is a proper level of fear. As previously shared watch where you walk and especially where you reach. Keep your luggage closed so it does not provide a refuge for a snake or other creature. Check around your tent or rondavel, especially after a day in the field when the camp staff may have had the facility open for cleaning.

Following in the same path as the tracker and ph is the gold standard. Have a great hunt.

Take Samuel L. Jackson with you; He took care of all those M*&^%%$$#@ng Snakes On a Plane!

Just be careful.

I have a huge fear of snakes,, I have had numerous run ins with them, stepped on a bunch, been struck at and missed rattled at by diamondbacks but never bitten by any. It is amazing how well most snakes blend into their surrondings, pretty good camo!!!During bow season I wear my snake boots, sneaking into and out of the blind at dark you will not see the snakes. In Africa,, I never take them, snake boots, to heavy and takes too much room in suitcase and useless against a mamba. A sharp eyed tracker your best defense in the field, at first I was like watching every step I took and after awhile you get more realistic about risk involved and you can then enjoy your hunt. My Ph's son was bitten in his yard by a puff adder, and both his best dogs were killed by a mamba at his house,, the dogs killed the mamba before they died so there was no question of the scenerio. Go have fun,, be as careful as you would anywhere you hunt and you will have fun and stay safe, seriously,, more danger in bumping into a dangerous game animal and getting mashed.

Retriever is right----keep the trackers in front---having said that we came across a couple of mambas in the Selous. I asked our PH what we were to do if we got bit?
He said: "Well the first thing is to make sure you sign all your traveler's checks."

Chippewa snake boots: http://stg.chippewaboots.com/category/SNAKE_BOOTS

EXTREMELY comfortable, soft soles (quiet), and uninsulated...

Just send your cash over, I'll do your hunt and forward trophies, photos and receipts.

i use johnnie walker and have never been bit

emron,

Snakes really are not much of an issue. Sadie and I were just talkng about this and we both think in multiple safaris in 8 coutries we've seen a grand total of 10 snakes of mutiple varieties. Last year we were in the bush right at 40 days and we saw not one snake.

Relax and enjoy your safari. Snakes and creepy crawlies are not a big deal. Now tetse flies are a different situation.

Mark

If the snakes have seen a few of Mark Sullivans movies they may think like this:

"I have now bitten the hunter and he must now decide how he wants to die. He can let my poison finish or let his own rifle finish him of but I am going let him decide how he wants to die".

Three safaris to different parts. South Africa, we did not see any snakes. Namibia we saw several and nearly ran in to trouble with one. We came across what the locals call Zebra Snakes (which I researched later and think they are Ringhall Cobras and are spitters) and Mambas. The mambas ran the Zebra snakes held their ground.
Zimbabwe where we saw a very large mamba looking snake under a bush whre we were hanging a leopard bait and a puff adder that had crossed the track in front of us. The tracker spotted the trail left by the Puff Adder so we had a good idea of where he was. They can hide in some very skinny cover. My opinion you need to worry more about the Puff Adder type snakes than mambas as the adders lie in the trails under some very small cover and wait for something to come by. However, get hit by a puff adder you are likely to live although you may loose a part of you that you would rather not. Get hit by a mamba, find a comfortable spot under a shade tree and start writing love you notes to your family and dont forget to sign those travelor checks for the PH
Hunting in Africas winter time is the reason more snakes are not seen by hunters. At that time they are somewhat dormant.
I would guess that more people are killed in the whole of africa by snakes than any other animal by a very large margin(ommiting insects of course)

Snakebites a Public Health Problem in Africa


Sep. 10, 2011

One and a half million people per year are poisoned by snake venom in Sub-Saharan Africa. An IRD researcher recently analysed around 100 surveys and medical reports published over the past 40 years. No large-scale study of the situation had hitherto been conducted and public health authorities had underestimated the size of the problem. This means that currently only 10% of victims are treated, owing to a shortage of antivenoms* and lack of awareness among health care practitioners. Yet the clinical complications can be very serious, even fatal. A bite from a cobra or mamba can bring on death by asphyxia -- due to respiratory paralysis -- within 6 hours of the incident. Venom injected by the ocellated carpet viper, common in the African savannah, can cause hemorrhages leading to the victim's death in a few days.

Every year over 300 000 people living South of the Sahara have to be treated after a snakebite, as the IRD researcher has shown. However, many cases are not reported, given the difficulty of access to health centres and the frequent reliance on traditional medicine. That figure therefore does not reflect the complete number of envenomings and specialists consider it to represent only between one-third and one-fifth of the real amount. This new study thus indicates up to one and a half million victims per year. Mortality resulting from a bite -probably also underestimated- can reach 7 000 and limb amputations range from 6 000 to over 14 000 per year

One of the things my last PH passed on to me was that if a client was bitten by a poisonous snake, he lies him down, gives him something to write his last will & testament on and then makes sure he signs his travelers checks!

Still not one report of a foreign hunter getting bit. If I knew of one I would mention it, so I guess that those who preoccupy their pre-hunt anticipation with snake worries, really need to brush up on probabilities. For those thinking about snakes, I won't mention the risk of heart attack, lest you stay home all together.

I still want Bo's G-String!

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
Keep trackers in front of you. They do not miss a thing.

Mike

My first and only trip so far to Africa was last year (Tanzania), and the tracker stepped right over a puff adder without seeing it. Fortunately, the PH was between us and he spotted the snake just before he stepped on it.

He gave the tracker a few choice words, pointed out the snake to me and told me how these cause the deaths of only a very small percentage of those bitten. Nice to know, but I still kept him and the tracker in front, walked in their steps and kept looking for myself.

Anyway you look at it, a venomous snake bite will usually ruin a trip. Prevention is the best "cure" and antivenin is usually species specific. The most recent medical advice is to refrain from doing any cutting and attempts to suck out the poison are pretty much worthless. Having a satellite phone, purchasing good medical evacuation insurance (I use "Global Rescue") and getting to proper medical care quickly are the best answers for an unavoidable bite. In any case, keep in mind that most bites aren't fatal and only a small percentage of venomous snakes are considered "potentially lethal" (ie: Mambas).

One thing you might want to consider doing is to "practice" looking for snakes while getting in shape for your hunt. Below is a pic of the puff adder we saw on my trip and a harmless gopher snake I saw next to the trail on my hike this morning. If nothing else, the practice will help you feel more comfortable and competent during your hunt!

Eight trips to Africa so far. Zero snakes seen to date.

My opinion only: the PHs' comments about snake bite and signing your travelers' checks is just a feeble attempt at black humour.

On the other hand, I'm surprised that so many have never seen a snake, or only one or two. I seem to run across them.

Most important is Fujo's comment about mambas. The only black mamba I've run across came up out of the grass and I must say, looking at that black mouth at practically eye-level scared me spit-less, more than any buffalo or elephant could. Snake boots definitely could not have helped -- he was looking at us in the eyes. We were hours from the gari, let alone the airstrip and any reasonable hospital. Antivenin would be useless. Fortunately, after what seemed like an endless stare-down, but was probably mere seconds, he decided to leave and we parted amicably.

in 10 safaris in 6 countries i have seen quite a lot of poisonous snakes- mainly cobras and mambas. and i am probably the only AR member who has been bitten by a poisonous snake( rattlesnake). that said, snakebite is WAY down on my list of things to worry about- in Africa or anywhere else. if you are going to worry about every bad thing that can happen to you traveling ANYWHERE- JUST STAY HOME!!!

The farm where I am working at the moment, their 'pitbull' bitch was invenomated by a very big puffadder yesterday afternoon. The dog is still at the vet hooked-up to a multitude of tubes and with a 50/50 chance. It is a bad time for snakes now as they are actively and aggresively hunting in preparation for their winter hibernation, venom sacs are full.

lavaca
one of us

posted 16 March 2013 07:23 Hide Post
My opinion only: the PHs' comments about snake bite and signing your travelers' checks is just a feeble attempt at black humour.

Feeble indeed? Have you any idea of how difficult it is to get an executor of a deceased's estate to cough up for expenses incurred. I strongly recommend that a blank 'Last Will and Testament' be signed as well.

Does anybody know for a fact if a client has ever been bitten (by a snake) in Africa?

Just stay tight with the tracker carrying the axe. Immediately upon being bitten apply tourniquet, and have tracker hack off affected limb. Pack wound with clot med, wrap it up and keep hunting. Use limb for extra bait[some areas its the best bait].

i know a PH that was bitten( Zayne Van der Merwe-sp??). the year i hunted with him in the Selous( about 2002) he was bitten by a spitting cobra- while taking a midday nap in his bungalow. apparently his arm flopped off the bed and struck the cobra that was on the floor by his bed. shit happens and he was OK other than the scar tissue on his hand.

I remember Zayne telling me he was bitten. Shaun Buffee had a tracker bitten by a puff adder I believe. Still never heard of a client.

A question from one that lives in a snake free country, yeh! should one use solids or a good blue nose soft on these creatures? Dangerous game needs good medicine