Southern Africa is blessed with about 172 species of snake, occurring in almost every habitat including the sea. Accurate identification of snakes can be difficult, especially when they are moving away or are partially out of sight. There is no golden rule or characteristic which can be used to identify medically important species. When encountering a snake, take note of the following:

• Size & shape - Some snakes have a thick body and a distinct head, while others are slender.
• Colouration & anatomy - Although coloration of a snake my vary throughout its distribution, it can be used as an identification characteristic. The anatomy and shape and texture of the scales also helps in identification. Some snakes have unique anatomical features.
• Behaviour - When threatened, some snakes make a hissing noise, rear up and spread a hood, spit venom or simply just play dead. The way a snake moves can also be characteristic. 
• Distribution & shelter - snakes are not randomly distributed throughout the environment, they inhabit distinct areas that provide for their habitat requirements. Some snakes can be found in trees, on the ground, in rocky outcrops, or near water.

In many areas of southern Africa, there will be a few commonly encountered snakes that can easily be identified. With time and practice, you can easily become familiar with these snakes. It is recommended that you visit your local reptile park, attend a course with a reputable training provider or attend a snake demonstration in your area.

Of all the animals on Earth, snakes are the most steeped in folklore and religious mythology. Cheesy B grade movies and second rate social media clickbait, feed the collective mindset a diet of ignorance and fear, creating a dangerous perception that snakes are a negative aspect of the world, a creature we should be afraid of.

I find it fascinating how two people can have completely different perceptions towards exactly the same thing. Some people are afraid of snakes, while others understand and respect them. It is interesting to note that those people who have the most to say regarding the dangers that a snake poses, are the same people who know the least about them.

When we look at snakes through knowledge and understanding, we see an animal that does everything that it can to avoid human conflict and interaction. When a snake encounters a human, they hiss, spread a hood, remain still, or try to get away as fast as they can. They only use venom as a last resort.

There is no doubt that snake bite is the most impactful of all types of envenomation in southern Africa and many other areas of the world. However, I don’t believe we should be afraid of a snake, but rather we should learn to be more respectful and tolerant. If we allow misinformation and pious rhetoric to infect our values and beliefs then we create a false narrative of the world that does us no service. When we look at the hard facts and realize that your packet of cigarettes, bottle of whisky and the car you drive pose a far greater threat than any snake, then we realise how we have misinterpreted these animals.

One of the flaws of the human mind is how our values and beliefs can twist our perception of reality to such a degree that we become a danger to ourselves and the world. Given the misinformation and folklore surrounding snakes, I can appreciate how difficult it is for many people to understand the value that a snake offers to humanity.

Snakes occupy a key position within the environment, that provide an indirect benefit to us, by supporting the ecosystems that we rely upon for our very existence. Because of our general disconnection from the natural world, this indirect value is not often thought of or even recognised.

The direct value of snakes, saves or improves the life of over 1 billion people worldwide, especially those living in developed countries. Snakes and their venom have unlocked treatments for heart failure, kidney disease, arthritis, diabetes, preventing stroke and blood clots. If you, or any of your family is taking medication to treat high blood pressure, there is a very good chance that it is based upon an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, which was derived from the venom of the Arrow-head Pit Viper.

If you still do not understand the value of snakes, it is not because they offer no value. It is because your values and beliefs have created an alternate reality in which they have no value.

How you think, matters in today’s world. It matters because it’s only by changing our values and beliefs to reflect the realities of our time, can we achieve a more honest and accurate way in which we see the world, and find solutions to the challenges of our time.

According to the WWF’s living planet report of 2020, human activities and influence upon populations of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles have decreased on average by 68% since 1970. Today has never been a more important period in human history when we need to actively protect the environment.

There are 3 layers of legislation aimed at protecting South African snake populations from decline.

• CITES regulates international trade of endangered animals and plants (none of our species are CITES listed).

• National legislation in the form of TOPS (The Threatened or Protected Species) includes the African Python and Gaboon Adder.

• Depending upon the province, provincial legislation dictates that permits are necessary to collect, keep and transport, inter-province import and export of all indigenous species of snakes.

Why the need for legislative protection? Poaching for the pet trade and habitat destruction exerts a huge negative influence upon animal and plant populations. If you are the organiser of a snake demonstration on your premises, ensure that the snake handler has all of the necessary permits for all indigenous snakes.

Conservation efforts to protect snakes include habitat conservation, having your say in development applications (habitat destruction), not falling foul of ignorance and killing snakes intentionally, avoiding the use of insecticides and rodenticides, keep domestic cats indoors at all times, do not buy wild animals or support the pet trade, be mindful when driving a car, if you see anyone collecting snakes (or other animals and plants), immediately report them to the local authorities. These conservation efforts not only assist snakes but also other animals and plants.

Venom has evolved as a chemical weapon that is specifically designed against biological processes, driven according to the relationship between predator and prey. For the purpose of snakebite first aid, venoms have been divided into 3 groups: Neurotoxic, Cytotoxic and Haemotoxic. These groups however, only indicate where the symptoms are and not what the symptoms will be. However, understanding what snakes use their venom for, offers greater insight and understanding into its affects upon the human physiology.

• Defensive Venoms - are fast acting venoms that tend to be generalised in their application because they have to apply to a wide variety of predators. Defensive venoms are designed to cause instant and highly uncomfortable symptoms (often immediate localised pain) that will deter a predator or threat. Venom is rarely used as a primary defence mechanism.
• Prey Capture Venoms - Predatory venomous animals are often designed towards a targeted prey animal. Frogs and toads are favourite prey items for a Night Adder, and accordingly, their venom is particularly effective against these kinds of prey. Mamba venom is effective against mammalian prey. However, these targeted venoms may be ineffective or prompt an alternative response in none target animals.

It is by no chance, that many of southern Africa’s medically significant snakes, prey upon mammalian prey such as rats and mice. By design, we share the same physiology as these prey items, and experience the same catastrophic system failures when these venoms are introduced to our physiology.