Kottayam: The monsoon has not brought the much-awaited relief to Kerala. The unabated heat wave has forced snakes out of their holes. The cold-blooded reptiles are unable to stay in the hot burrows because they are not able to regulate their body temperature. An obvious haven is a human habitat. That explains the frequent snake incursions into houses.
Disturbingly, snakes have been spotted coiled up under bed sheets. A recent survey among victims of snakebite in a private hospital in Kottayam revealed that three-quarters of them were bitten by vipers inside their houses.
Snakes usually venture into human habitats in daylight in April, May, November and December. They prefer to cozy up in their burrows in the comparatively colder months of June and July, thanks to the southwest monsoon that cools the earth.
Though monsoon hit Kerala earlier this year, the state is yet to receive copious rainfall. The sun continues to beat down with a vengeance, making life difficult for all fauna, especially the cold-blooded animals.
The threat from snakes has become all the more complicated since the schools reopened after summer holidays. A child was bitten by a snake on the first day of school at Pramadam in Pathanamthitta district.
Climate change
Snakes are forced out of their burrows by the unbearable heat wave, said K A Abish, a forest department employee at Thekkady and an expert snake catcher. The earth is still warm despite the showers.
The forest department offices get frequent distress calls from people reporting snake sightings in Thrissur, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts. Experts have asked people to watch out for vipers, kraits and cobras during the rainy season. Vipers and kraits are nocturnal.
Vipers are more dangerous because they do not care to warn before they strike, like cobras. They lie low and strike the moment they are disturbed. It does not matter if they have found a resting place in your bed.
Keep in mind
Snakes could seek out a colder corner inside vehicles or even shoes. Check your shoes before putting them on. Inspect your garden and any growth for a hidden snake. Snakes sometimes find a cold bed in the fallen leaves. Keep your yard clean.
Seek medical treatment as soon as the snake bites. There is no need to kill the snake and take it to the hospital too. The most important thing is to administer anti-venom as soon as possible.
Effects of venom
Viper’s venom is haemotoxic. It affects the blood flow, impedes the vascular system and causes coagulation of the blood and clotting of the pulmonary arteries. Krait and cobra venom is neurotoxic, causing the paralysis of the respiratory centre.
All snake-bites are treated with the same anti-venom. The doctors can take a call by looking at the symptoms. Administering anti-venom into someone who does not have the venom in his body could be fatal.
Be brave
Key to keeping alive is to be brave. Fear can be more fatal than venom. Monsoon is not a perfect time to drop your guard against snakes. They could still pay you a visit.
