There are currently approximately 170 species and subspecies of snakes found in south africa. Snakes and snakebite envenoming in northern tanzania. A complete guide to the snakes of southern africa by johan marais. Hope fully, it will stimulate an interest in these remarkable reptiles. Though australia is known to be home to the majority of the worlds most venomous snakes, africa has its share of potentially highly dangerous species. Came in a cardboard envelope, so guide book was well protected. Pdf online snakes of zambia, an atlas and field guide read. The common harmless snakes of south africa tyrone ping. Including people such as avid hikers, hunters, fisherman and cyclists. On a more serious note, west africa ghana included has its fair share of snakes, some of which are venemous. Systematic conservation planning for west african snakes. He is a popular public speaker and offers a variety of courses including. In addition to biting, both snakes spray their venom up to a distance of three metres and do so in selfdefense to temporarily blind their attacker and allow the snake to escape.
An obituary for the author appeared in the bast africa. Pages in category snakes of africa the following 140 pages are in this category, out of 140 total. This family was previously classified as a subfamily of the colubridae. Cobras, vipers, mambas and coral snakes are found in this area. However, the good news is that most snakes are shy by nature and try to avoid contact with humans. If you are attempting to rid your garden of snakes, chemical solutions are only useful for a few species of snakes. It is about anything related to african snakes, snakebite and snake venom. In southern africa it may be found in most areas, but it avoids the extreme desert conditions, dense forests.
We are about conservation, snake handling, snake courses, snake identification, snakebite treatment and case studies. Common highly dangerous snakes of south africa camping tips. This key is designed to aid in snake identifications made using the book snakes of central and western africa by jeanphilippe chippaux and kate jackson, but can be used independently in order to identify western and central african snakes to the genus level. South africa is a country with some of the most dangerous serpents in the world. A complete guide to the snakes of southern africa by marais. With snakes of central and western africa, jeanphilippe chippaux and kate jackson have created a game changer. This detailed and comprehensive guide to the 151 snakes indigenous to southern africa covers all essential aspects of snake biology and behavior. Small children and the elderly, so far, have been found to be more susceptible to bites from serpents, and while some lives have been lost in the process, it is worth noting that a snake bite does not necessarily have to kill.
Johan is accredited by the international society of zoological sciences iszs and is a field guides association of southern africa fgasa. Black mamba snakes africas most dangerous snake bbc nature documentary. Adults are thick and heavy bodied snakes which rarely exceed 1 m in maximum headbody length in this region. Best plants that naturally repel snakes updated for 2020. After rainstorms that follow long, dry spells or after rains in desert areas. Your risk of coming into contact with snakes depends largely on the type of accommodation youre staying in. Jun 18, 2019 with snakes of central and western africa, jeanphilippe chippaux and kate jackson have created a game changer. Pdf we analyze an important new opus on the snakes of west and central africa coauthored by jeanphilippe chippaux and kate jackson. Aug 14, 2011 on a more serious note, west africa ghana included has its fair share of snakes, some of which are venemous. Table 1 main african snakes caenophidia or recent snakes.
The african rock python is in the genus python, large constricting snakes found in the moist tropics of asia and africa. Mar 29, 2018 if you are attempting to rid your garden of snakes, chemical solutions are only useful for a few species of snakes. All over the world, especially in north africa, central and south america, and the mountains of the american northwest, organic solutions have proven effective for. Restricted to subsaharan africa, the boomslang dispholidus typus is known as one of the most venomous snakes on the continent. All over the world, especially in north africa, central and south america, and the mountains of the american northwest, organic solutions have proven effective for deterring snakes of all species. Jan 01, 1992 this detailed and comprehensive guide to the 151 snakes indigenous to southern africa covers all essential aspects of snake biology and behavior. Snakes for africa 1 tugela road, 3652 waterfall, kwazulunatal, south africa rated 4. Dangerous snakes zambia african snakebite institute. In subsaharan africa, these envenomings have a serious impact in terms of morbidity and mortality owing to factors such as abundance of snakes, subsistence agricultural and pastoralist activities, poor availability and accessibility of antivenoms, and inadequately trained health workers for attending this medical emergency, among other factors. Johan marais is the author of various books on reptiles including the best seller a complete guide to snakes of southern africa. A guide to the snakes of liberia smiths water snake. The african rock python is found throughout almost the whole of subsaharan africa, from senegal east to ethiopia and somalia and south to namibia and south africa. Dec 20, 2017 carpet viper family of snakes that are responsible for thousands of deaths in subsaharan africa. The oldest known fossil snake, eophis underwoodi, was a small snake that lived in southern england about 167 million years ago.
Black mambas are the largest venomous snake in south africa and can reach four metres long. This study applied systematic conservation planning to west african snake species, which have lacked. Now in its second edition, a complete guide to the snakes of southern africa has been updated, revised and expanded to include at least 11 newly discovered and 30 reclassified species and subspecies. Welcome to snakes of central and western africa, a multiaccess key for the identification of west and central african snake genera. The oldest known fossil snake, eophis underwoodi, was a small snake that lived in southern england about 167 million years ago snakes and man. Carpet viper family of snakes that are responsible for thousands of deaths in subsaharan africa. Pdf download snakes of europe north africa and the middle.
Critters that bite in and around the horn of africa. Their venom attacks the blood, preventing clotting and causing haemorrhages. Of the east africa natural history society and national museum 12th may 1975 a guide to the snakes of the tanzania and kenya borderlands by desmond foster veseyfitzgerald scientific officer, tanzania national parks no. Snakes are misunderstood and often maligned, primarily out of ignorance about their true nature and position. The korck publishing wall poster snakes of southern africa dangerous snakes and common harmless snakes southern africa has an impressive selection of venomous snakes and a large number of species which while either nonvenomous or only mildly venomous are easily confused with the more seriously venomous species. Although the chances of you encountering a snake in the wild are relatively uncommon. Our most venomous snakes include the aggressive black mamba, the puff adder, mozambique spitting cobra, cape cobra, boomslang, vine snake and gaboon viper. The combined joint task force horn of africa surgeon cell newsletter, distributed around camp lemonnier, djibouti, is chockfull of pertinent information about things that can harm you, whether on camp or out in the field.
Dec 22, 2016 venomous snakes of the horn of africa snake distribution checklist species country mambas and garter snakes djibouti eritrea ethiopia kenya somalia sudan uganda. The head is large, flattened, and triangular in shape, has large nostrils pointing vertically upwards and is covered with small, keeled, overlapping scales. There are three types of venomous snakes in southern africa they fit into the cytotoxic, neurotoxic and haemotoxic category. Jul 15, 2005 this detailed and comprehensive guide to the 151 snakes indigenous to southern africa covers all essential aspects of snake biology and behavior.
A complete guide to the snakes of southern africa by. Johan is accredited by the international society of zoological sciences iszs and is a field guides association of southern africa fgasa and. In east africa specimens as large as 1,7m have been recorded. At any rate one oould pounoe more whole heartedly upon a grasssnake j probably, however, it is only. Some consider the more southerly population of this snake to be a separate species, python natalensis. Nobody knows exactly how many snake species live in the biodiversity hotspots of western and central africa. Following on the success of the common snakes of durban post that was compiled here is a much broader spectrum to cover south africa. Many people are bitten because they try to kill a snake or get a closer look at it. Geographical distribution it occurs in southern angola and northern namibia, and ranges east through botswana to southern zambia, zimbabwe, western mozambique, the northeastern provinces of south. Those things include snakes, malariaridden mosquitoes, rabid animals, diseasecarrying ticks and fleas, and rats and mice which infest areas throughout the horn of africa. Venomous snakes in southern africa can, in broad terms, be divided into 3 groups.
The posters are available as free downloads in high resolution and are designed to be. The mozambique spitting cobra accounts for the vast majority of serious bites, followed by the puff adder, and then the stiletto snake and rhombic night adder. Some 11% of the approximately 173 species of snake in southern africa can be considered deadly and these include mambas, cobras, the rinkhals, puff adder, gaboon adder, boomslang and the twig snake. The only certain way to identify dangerous snakes is to learn to know and. Perhaps the most feared snake in africa is the black mamba.
Pdf snakes of africa exploitation and conservation. The guides detailed introduction discusses snake anatomy, biology, habitats and taxonomy. Jan 25, 2018 common harmless snakes of south africa posted on january 25, 2018 march 29, 2020 by tyrone following on the success of the common snakes of durban post that was compiled here is a much broader spectrum to cover south africa. Covering a vast swath of the continent, ranging from. Spitting african cobras first aid for an eyeful of venom. Its venom is haemotoxic, which means that it disables the bodys natural bloodclotting mechanism and triggers uncontrollable external and internal bleeding. This insert below will touch on these medically insignificant snakes, which include harmless nonvenomous as well as the common mildly venomous snakes which the average south african may come across on a daytoday basis. Pdf download snakes of europe north africa and the. This paper sets out to give an account of the common snakes of east africa. Travel to southern africa a lot and do see snakes and reptiles, so this guide book is relevant for me. There are no antivenins for the venoms of seasnakes, vine snakes, tree snakes, burrowing asps, garter snakes, tree cobras, bush vipers, or night adders. Among venomous snakes found in north america, all but the coral snake have slit like eyes and are known as pit vipers because their heads are.
They are africa s largest venomous snake and can grow to between 2. Johan is accredited by the international society of zoological sciences. He is a popular public speaker and offers a variety of courses including snake awareness, scorpion awareness and venomous snake handling. Venomous snakes are found throughout the horn of africa. Pdf download a field guide to snakes of california gulfs field guide pdf full ebook. From pythons to black mamba awesome kids educational books book free. Boulenger, 1896 1 natal black snake africa micrelaps. Venomous snakes of the horn of africa snake distribution checklist species country mambas and garter snakes djibouti eritrea ethiopia kenya somalia sudan uganda. The group belongs to mike perry from african reptiles and venom. A complete guide to the snakes of southern africa by johan. Snakes are thought to have evolved from terrestrial lizards as early as the middle jurassic epoch 174. Sep 14, 2011 snakebites are a significant public health problem in subsaharan africa, yet the problem is neglected, researchers say. This is a fully uptodate and comprehensive photographic field guide to the snakes of europe, north africa and the middle east.
It is one of the fastest snakes and can move at over 20kmhour. There are sea snakes on the east coast of africa and in the persian gulf. Boettger, 1880 5 twoheaded snakes africa, middleeast poecilopholis. Jan, 1858 2 harlequin snakes southern africa macrelaps. Herpetologist johan marais, author of a complete guide to snakes of southern africa available in south africa via, has completely updated his 15 dangerousharmless snakes posters for all south african provinces as well as for bostwana, namibia, swaziland, zimbabwe and mozambique. Black mamba snakes africas most dangerous snake bbc nature documentary meaganjungle. Snakes of central and western africa johns hopkins. Snakes of south africa identification in terms of identifying a type of serpent, there are some things which are usually put into consideration and part of which is the structure of the body. The puff adder is probably the most widespread snake in africa, avoiding the severe parts of the sahara desert, tropical rain forests and high altitudes. Snakes and snakebite of africa public group facebook.
The common spitting snakes in south africa are the mozambique spitting cobra mfezi and the rinkhals. The venom is slowacting, with symptoms taking several hours to present themselves. A pdf of the 1st edition is available to researchers who contact the. First aid advice may be requested from mike perry, preferably before someone is bitten.