Israel zoologist Boaz Shacham reports despite the numerous reports during the past week of snakebites involving poisonous snakes, there is no ‘trend’ or anything out of the ordinary that points to a more vigorous snake season.

He explained that snakes are beginning to awaken from their winter slumber and are found in brush areas during the hot days. He added the past week’s unseasonably warm and dry weather is a contributory factor to the snakes seeking shade. This time of year he explained, snakes are also quite hungry, prompting them to seek food.

YWN has reported numerous cases of snakebites of late, involving a Ramallah girl (June 8th), a fatal incident in the north (June 8th), a 30-year-old Jenin woman (May 21st), involving soldiers (May 14th),

Shacham stated that perhaps more important than knowing what to do is knowing what not to do. He stressed to avoid all the home remedies and to head to an emergency room, stating that one should keep the victim as still as possible, trying to avoid compelling the victim to exert himself.

Boaz stated that today many people have cameras built into their cellular telephone and if getting a photo of the snake without placing oneself in danger is doable, it might assist the medical team in finding the proper antidote. (Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)