1 – WildlifeCampus Snakes and Reptiles of the Lowveld Course Snakes & Reptiles of the Lowveld This course was written by renowned expert and snake handler in this field, Ian Dewsbury. It covers the identification, classification, characterisation, reproduction, description and distribution of 89 species of reptiles and snake’s endemic to the Highveld and Lowveld regions of South Africa. It has been designed for those wishing to obtain a good overview of the subject. Introduction to Reptiles © Copyright This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus 2 – WildlifeCampus Snakes and Reptiles of the Lowveld Course Module # 1 - Reptilia (The Reptiles) Component # 1 - Introduction Reptiles Module # 2 - Chelonia (Shield reptiles) Component # 1 - Introduction to Chelonia Component # 2 - Tortoise Species Component # 3 - Terrapin Species Module # 3 - Crocodiles, Monitor Lizards & Chameleons Component # 1 - Crocodiles, Monitors & Chameleons Module # 4 - Serpentes (The Snakes) Component # 1 - Introduction to Snakes Component # 2 - Blind and Thread snakes Component # 3 - Pythons Component # 4 - Burrowing snakes Component # 5 - Typical Snakes Part # 1 Component # 6 - Typical Snakes Part # 2 Component # 7 - Typical Snakes Part # 3 Component # 8 - Cobras and Mambas Component # 9 - Vipers and Adders Component # 10 - Un-resolved species Module # 5 - First Aid for Snakebite Component # 1 - First Aid for Snakebite Introduction to Reptiles © Copyright This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus 3 – WildlifeCampus Snakes and Reptiles of the Lowveld Course Module # 1 - Component # 1 Introduction to Reptiles Myths and superstitions Despite the snake being symbolized by the medical profession in the form of the caduceus or magic wand of the Greek god Hermes, there is a huge amount of fear and misunderstanding of reptiles. Most times a snake is encountered, the person discovering the snake becomes panicked and frightened, screams or runs away. Frequently, the snake is unnecessarily killed. Most often (statistically) the snake is totally harmless to humans and is, in fact being useful by controlling rodents in the area, particularly around human habitation. Introduction to Reptiles © Copyright This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus 4 – WildlifeCampus Snakes and Reptiles of the Lowveld Course Certainly, they may (although seldom) inflict bites and they may be potentially life- threatening, but far fewer people die from snakebites than from bee stings, there are more people killed by lightning in a year than by venomous snakes. Many species of snakes are unfortunately restricted to the ground and cannot stay out of our way. There is a surprising similarity between a Brown House Snake (Boaedon capensis) and a Black Shouldered Kite, excluding physical appearance of course. They both hunt rodents and cannot inflict any great harm on us. The bird, however, is mostly seen in areas that we do not use, such as trees, in the air or perched on telephone lines. Brown House Snake What exacerbates an irrational fear of reptiles, and particularly snakes, is the wealth of commonly held beliefs, misconceptions, superstition, myths, embellished anecdotes, urban legends and blatant fabrications that surround them. Here are a few of the commonly heard examples, followed by a rational perspective. Introduction to Reptiles © Copyright This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus 5 – WildlifeCampus Snakes and Reptiles of the Lowveld Course Are tortoises used by Sangoma's (traditional witch doctors)? Yes. There is a belief that because the shell protects the tortoise this protection will be passed across to them. Tortoises’ feet are often used for digging, and thus some believe they solve a problem quicker by using these feet in tribal ritual. Are all snakes venomous? No. Of the ±140 endemic species to Southern Africa, only about 10% are venomous enough to be considered medically important from a human perspective. Do snakes move in pairs? No. Snakes and most reptiles are solitary animals. They will only seek out other specimens during breeding season. They do not travel together. Once mating is complete, they move off in separate directions. Do snakes seek out revenge when you have killed one of a pair? No. The pairing myth may stem from the phenomenon of certain species of female leaving scent trails for males to find and following as part of their reproductive activity. Those encountering the female and soon after the following male may incorrectly conclude pairing. Are chameleons venomous? No. They are harmless and cannot impose any real damage to anyone. The origin of this belief is not conclusively documented. Why are some people scared of Chameleons? One traditional belief is that when a person dies, their spirit goes to the nearest animal to go to the spirit world. If this is a chameleon, the spirit will never get there. Another is because the eyes of the chameleon can rotate independently from one another, an animal that can see into the future and the past at the same time is not to be trusted. Do snakes crush their prey, particularly pythons? No. Constrictors do not crush their prey at all. It would be risky during swallowing to have broken bones in the prey. They could penetrate the snake's internal organs while swallowing. All constrictors do, is to wrap their bodies around their chosen prey, and tighten their coils every time the animal exhales. This action inhibits the ability to inhale so that it cannot get in air and eventually suffocates. Does the Puff Adder (Bitis arietans arietans) strike backwards? No. They do not strike backwards, but rather, extremely rapidly forwards. Having one of the fastest strikes in the world. The forward strike is so rapid that it is often not seen when prey/victims are bitten. Introduction to Reptiles © Copyright This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus 6 – WildlifeCampus Snakes and Reptiles of the Lowveld Course Does the Black Mamba run faster than a horse? No. The size and speed of snakes are frequently over-exaggerated, probably as a result of the fright and panic situation resulting from a random encounter. Most people can outrun a snake easily, especially as reptiles can only go at full speed in short bursts. Do snakes only die at sunset? No. Most certainly not, they die naturally at any time or when they get killed. Are snakes slimy? No. They do have a shiny appearance, but unless they have just come out of water, they are dry and feel dry. Some describe the texture as being very similar to glass. Do snakes sting with their tongue? No. The tongue is used for olfactory (smell) functions. The tongue flickers more frequently when the animal is in a new environment, when people are around or when in search of prey. The forked tongue "catches" air particles and takes them into the mouth where a specialised organ called the Jacobson's Organ is situated. This is in the top of the mouth, which then translates the scents into smells it comprehends. Do snakes lick their prey before swallowing it? No. This belief probably originates from the way a snake will sometimes flick its tongue over the entire body of the prey before swallowing. This action allows the snake to accurately discern the animal body shape. This is done to ensure that swallowing of the victim headfirst, which usually guarantees that limbs and hair will fold down when swallowed. Are all venomous snakes immune to other snake venom? No. Some snakes seem to have an immunity to venom like the King Snake in America or the King Cobra of India. Our Cape File Snake can eat Black Mambas (our most venomous species). The same species can, to some degree, be immune to their own venom, but this is not always the situation and deaths may still occur. Venom is a protein and if ingested (swallowed) by a snake, the venom simply gets digested. It is when the venom is introduced into the bloodstream that envenomation takes place. How this results in humans (swallowing venom) is not something that should be independently tested, but the fact that snakes have fangs cannot be ignored. Balance this against the fact that when venom is introduced to eyes (spitting cobras) the envenomation effect is very serious. Inhaling snake venom is also potentially dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. After a snake has envenomated prey or has been milked is it harmless? No. This is most definitely not the situation. Snake venom comes from modified saliva glands and venom is often quickly replenished. Introduction to Reptiles © Copyright This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus 7 – WildlifeCampus Snakes and Reptiles of the Lowveld Course Is there a difference between venom and poison? Yes. The distinction comes from the mode of delivery into an organism. Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. Venom ingested as opposed to injected is not as problematic. Poison dart frogs (Dendrobatidae) (previously known as Poison – arrow frogs) are poisonous, not venomous. You may be poisoned by contact or ingesting the animal. Venom can be consumed or placed on the skin with little to no effect.