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Australia is perversely proud of its reputation as "the
country with more venomous living things than any other"
(including the women). There are more things here that'll
bite you, scratch you, sting you and eat you than you could
poke a stick at - but poking a stick at any of them is not
recommended! Most of these creatures will only attack when
provoked.
Admittedly, it's not likely that many people - except perhaps
Steve Irwin (TV's 'Crocodile Hunter')- would go out of their
way to deliberately provoke a snake. However, snakes don't
necessarily take your intentions into consideration when getting
cranky and are just as easily aggravated by people accidentally
disturbing them. So it is worth bearing in mind that Australia
is home to the 10 most venomous snakes in the world, comprising
varying species of the brown snake, tiger snake and
taipan, as well as the Death Adder and Sea Kraits.
Of these, the brown snake is the cause of more attacks
and snakebite deaths than any other in Australia. The most
common variety, the eastern brown snake, is born with dark-coloured
bands around its body, but these disappear as the snake matures
and it ends up being uniformly brown to brown/black. It is
found, as the name suggests, throughout the eastern half of
mainland Australia, and prefers dry country to swampy areas.
Featuring a head that is not distinct in shape from the rest
of its 3-6 ft body, it winds itself into an 'S' shape when
striking, raising itself off the ground and attacking rapidly.
Its western counterpart is supposedly less aggressive, and
slightly less venomous - but who wants to take any chances?
Avoiding snakebite
There are plenty of sensible precautions that visitors to
Australia can take to avoid being bitten by a snake. Many
of these are simple common sense - as indicated above, deliberately
agitating a snake is never a good idea. Similarly, going barefoot
in the bush or in swampy areas is asking for trouble - sturdy,
enclosed shoes should always worn, as well as long trousers
- remember that around 75% of snakebites occur on the lower
limbs. Take extra precautions in warm weather as snakes are
particularly active at these times - watch where you are putting
your hands and feet, especially in long grass, and carry a
torch if walking at night. Be particularly careful if you
have been drinking - several cases of snakebite death have
been linked with alcohol intoxication. Finally, remember that
snakes vary in appearance, even within species, so never assume
that you "recognise" a snake and can identify it
as non-venomous one.
What to do if you are bitten by a snake
Don't suck the wound! And don't wash the area as traces of
venom on the skin may assist in identifying the snake, which
is important in administering the anti-venom. The recommended
first-aid treatment of snakebite is the pressure-immobilisation
technique, which inhibits the venom from travelling from the
bite to the bloodstream, delaying an adverse reaction while
proper medical treatment is sought. A broad bandage (any fabric
will do) should be applied from the bite site outwards, about
as tightly as you would to a sprain. Next, the limb should
be immobilised with a splint and the victim should be kept
still. Never administer any sort of sedative, like alcohol,
or stimulant, like coffee, in an effort to calm the victim
down as this will speed up the rate at which the venom travels
into the bloodstream. Just reassure them with calming words
- and, if possible, bring medical help to the victim, rather
than moving the victim to take them to medical care. If you
are unlucky enough to be by yourself when a snake strikes,
walk, rather than run, for help.
It's not all bad news though - on the whole, the incidence
of snakebite in Australia is relatively small and the number
of related deaths only a few a year. Just taking a few precautions
should be enough to ensure that you maximise your enjoyment
of the beautiful and diverse Australian outdoors without compromising
your safety. |
