Snake awareness initiative equips participants with life-saving skills
Participants learnt about snake awareness, behaviour, biology, identification, myths, first aid for snakebite, scorpion sting and spider bite and heard a discussion on the medical treatment of snakebite.
The African Snakebite Institute hosted a comprehensive snake awareness, snakebite first aid and venomous snake handling course at Cradle Moon Lakeside Lodge on Friday, June 26, equipping participants with practical skills to safely respond to snake encounters and emergencies.
The full-day training brought together wildlife enthusiasts, security personnel, estate managers, first responders and members of the public seeking to better understand South Africa’s snakes and reduce the risks associated with snakebite incidents.
According to one of the trainers, Sake van Wyk, the course focused on dispelling common myths surrounding snakes while promoting safe, responsible interactions between people and wildlife. Participants were taught how to identify some of South Africa’s most medically significant venomous snakes, understand their behaviour and recognise situations where human-snake conflict can be avoided.
A major component of the training covered snakebite first aid, with instructors emphasising the importance of remaining calm, limiting movement of the affected limb and seeking urgent medical treatment. Participants also learned which traditional remedies and commonly believed first-aid methods can do more harm than good.
The practical session on venomous snake handling provided participants with an opportunity to observe the correct techniques used by trained professionals when safely capturing and relocating snakes. Instructors stressed that handling venomous snakes should only be attempted by individuals who have received proper training and have access to appropriate equipment.
“Throughout the course, attendees were encouraged to view snakes as an important part of South Africa’s biodiversity rather than simply as dangerous animals. Instructors explained the critical role snakes play in controlling rodent populations and maintaining healthy ecosystems,” he said.
The training also addressed how homeowners, businesses and estates can reduce the likelihood of snake encounters through habitat management, awareness and prompt reporting to qualified snake removers.
With snake activity increasing during warmer months and expanding urban development bringing people into closer contact with wildlife, Van Wyk said education remains one of the most effective ways to reduce unnecessary snake killings and prevent avoidable snakebite incidents.
“Participants left the course with a greater understanding of snake behaviour, improved confidence in responding to encounters safely and practical knowledge that could help save lives in the event of a snakebite emergency,” he added.
The African Snakebite Institute regularly hosts training courses across South Africa, providing education for the public and professionals alike on snake awareness, first aid and safe snake handling practices.
