Snake bite… Not a topic too often raised in trail-running and mountain-biking circles, yet arming yourself with a broad skill set on what to do should you encounter a snake or worse can go a long way to avoiding serious trouble. In the first installment of our new outdoor survival skills series we quiz some experts on what to do if you or one of your running, cycling, hiking or fishing buddies get bitten by a snake….
The black mamba is pretty high up my avoid-at-all-costs list. Right up there with a crocodile, bull shark and a grumpy old, lone, buffalo bull. This is only very loosely based on zoological fact, rather then pure animal bad-assery, you understand.
Some years back in the Serengeti I witnessed a two-plus metre black mamba savagely devour a large lizard in less time than it takes to eat a burger. Other snakes, such as puff adders and Cape cobras definitely are.
Now, common very sensible handed-down wisdom says that you should never go riding, trail running, hiking or fishing alone. The reality though is that many of us do. This however means that there are a few dangers such as snake bites we need to be aware of and equipped to deal with should it happen. According to Raymond, it can be difficult for an untrained eye to distinguish venomous snakes from non-venomous species, so snakes in the wild are best left alone and undisturbed.
The reality is that snakes will not chase you down, and even large and defensive snakes generally only bite when they feel threatened. Raymond suggests that for an accurate and easy-to-use resource on snake identification, download the mobile App developed by Johan Marais.
