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| Snakeman Jim at Snake Temple, Penang Island 1989. |
I love snakes- a misunderstood, maligned and persecuted reptile that is such a beautiful example of Nature's form for function in the animal world. Perfectly evolved to be able to slither quietly through their environment, climb trees, lie quietly in wait, and even swim the oceans. Their lithe, supple bodies take them anywhere there may be a meal awaiting to had, be that a mouse or a man!
Snakes are the stuff of our deepest fears, the serpents of legends, the giver of swift death from their venomous fangs...and yet most are quite harmless to man. We can look at the Australian scene. Check out Bob's info here-
http://www.bobinoz.com/Australia has 140 types of snakes and only 12 can kill. They also have sea snakes lurking in tropical waters but there are no known human fatalities from them. Their mouths are very small and fangs are less prominent. But if you're unlucky enough to stand on one on the beach, it'll be say your prayers time! Deadly. Keep your eyes open.
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| Sea snake we almost stepped on in New Caledonia! 1994. |
Of 41 deaths from snake bite from 1980 up to 2009, almost half are thought to have occurred when the victim trod accidentally on a snake. Commonsense, and a wee bit of education and you'll be fairly safe.
Walk noisily, use a torch at night, carry a long stick, walk in clear pathways, avoid long dry grassy areas. Almost all snakes will move away from you- they don't want trouble, just a meal, and you're too big for them.
So since a few have killed, we persecute them all.
Meantime more people die from bee stings or horse riding accidents!
My hands on experience with snakes started in China 1984. Early days for tourists into China, and hardly anyone spoke English then. We toured for a day from Macau, then a Portuguese colony. We were taken to a city centre market where snakes were being sold for medicinal purposes. I'm not very keen on Traditional Chinese Medicine's exploitation of wildlife, in fact I find it deplorable with today's insatiable demand for any animal thought to have some beneficial quality. That's an issue we'll go into at another date.
Anyway, this very experienced world traveller walks up to the Chinese snake vendor and asks-
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| Snakeman in Guangzhou, China 1984. What a cool looking dude...the snake that is! |
"Are these snakes safe to handle?"
"Yes." came a cheerful reply.
"They are non-poisonous, right?"
"Yes."
"Can I handle them?"
"Yes."
"Can you get some out and let me feel them, please?"
"Yes."
Snake vendor gives me snakes to handle. They felt incredibly smooth, sinewy, and muscular with great strength rippling through their long bodies as they glided up from my hands and wrapped their bodies around my arms. I was fascinated, enjoying their beauty. My horrified wife did manage to snap a few photos.
"Thank you for letting me hold them.You can put them back now."
"Yes."
We wander off along the market street. I 'm telling my wife how exciting the whole adventure was. Kay says "The whole time you spoke to that man, he only ever answered yes!"
Uh oh....
Did that man really know what I had meant when I asked him if they were safe to handle?
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Snakeman!
