What to do if you see a poisonous snake. What to do if you encounter a snake

In the Moscow region, with the onset of heat, snakes became more active - both harmless snakes and copperheads, and poisonous vipers. Where you can find these reptiles, how not to provoke an attack and what to do if bitten, read the material “RIAMO in Korolev”.

Where can you find a snake

GIF: GIPHY website

Snakes love dark, swampy places. They are mainly found in the forest; they also crawl into garden plots, where they like to settle under berry bushes. In the city, snakes are rare guests, but in a number of areas, for example, Dmitrovsky and Shatursky, their concentration can reach several dozen individuals within a radius of one hundred meters.

Contrary to popular belief, snakes are shy and almost never attack first. If they meet a person, they try to quickly crawl away. A snake can bite only in case of self-defense - if it is stepped on, frightened, or tried to be caught.

Snakes are cold-blooded animals, so in the spring they crawl out into open areas to bask in the sun. Curled up in a ball, they lie on stumps, hillocks, hills and other hills. You need to remember this when walking through the forest or choosing a site for a picnic or tent camp.

Snakes are almost deaf, but they sense vibration very well. Most likely the snake will sense the approach of a person and crawl away. However, there are places that become “blind spots” for reptiles - these are fields and swamps, since arable land and mossy soil muffle steps. It is there that you can quietly approach the snake and scare it, which will provoke an attack.

Preventing snake bites

When hiking in the forest, it is best to wear knee-high rubber boots to protect your calves. Then even if the snake attacks, it will not be able to bite through the rubber. The trouser legs must be tucked into the tops.

In nature, you should always look under your feet and around to avoid unwanted encounters. Experienced mushroom pickers and berry pickers use sticks to not only discern the fruits of the forest in the grass, but also to check for snakes along the way.

Before sitting down to rest on an old stump or fallen tree, you should look around and knock on the trunk. Under no circumstances should you check tree hollows, voids under roots, or rodent holes with your hands.

If a person comes too close to a snake, touches it with his foot, steps on it, or tries to catch it, then it is almost impossible to avoid a bite.

What to do when meeting a snake

GIF: GIPHY website

A snake that goes unnoticed is dangerous. The discovered reptile poses a minimal threat.

If you manage to spot a snake, then you need to try to get around it. There is no need to block her escape route - she will regard this as a danger and attack. A snake coiled into a spring can jump up to half a meter. There is no need to poke the reptile with a stick - it can use it to reach your hand with lightning speed.

If the snake has not crawled away, but has taken a threatening pose, then you need to slowly step back without doing anything. sudden movements. Do not put your hands forward for protection or turn your back to the reptile. You cannot run away from a snake - there is a risk of stepping on another.

The viper never attacks itself and will not chase a person, even if it is angry. She will hiss and lunge - “peck” towards danger, but will bite only if a person provokes her again, steps on her tail or tries to grab her.

You should not try to catch or play with snakes, even if they look lethargic or are small in size - even newly hatched babies are poisonous. You should also be careful with dead snakes, as in some species the venom remains effective for a long time, and an accidental prick with a poisonous tooth can cause poisoning.

How to distinguish a poisonous snake

Total on site Russian Federation There are more than 90 species of snakes, many of which are poisonous. Only three species of snakes live in the Moscow region - snakes, copperheads and vipers. Only the latter are poisonous, but even their bite rarely leads to fatal consequences.

The snake is easiest to distinguish from other snakes - it has characteristic yellow or orange spots on its head. The scales are dark - gray, gray-black or black, the abdomen is always lighter. The size of snakes is about 1 meter, but some females grow up to 2 meters. Snakes rarely bite, they are not aggressive and not poisonous.

The copperhead is also harmless. The body length is about 70 centimeters, the color of the scales varies from gray to copper-red with several rows of dark spots. The snake lives in coniferous and deciduous forests, clearings and sunny clearings. The saliva of copperheads is toxic to its victims - lizards and mice, but the bite of this snake is not dangerous to humans.

Viper is the most common in Russia poisonous snake. Its length is on average about 70-85 centimeters, color - from gray to almost black, sometimes with a zigzag pattern on the back. The viper has a characteristic triangular head shape, by which it can be distinguished from other snakes. The viper does not attack first; when approaching it, it hisses and lunges, but tries to crawl away. Viper venom is toxic, but it does not always lead to death. The most dangerous bites are on areas of the body close to the head.

Experts recommend that when meeting a snake, you should always assume that it is poisonous. It is not always possible to quickly and accurately understand whether it is a harmless snake or a dangerous viper. Therefore, you should try to make peace with any snake.

First aid for a bite

GIF: GIPHY website

When bitten by a poisonous snake, severe pain and swelling occurs around the bite site, which quickly spreads, and the skin acquires a reddish-bluish tint. After 20-40 minutes, symptoms of shock appear: pale skin, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, weak and rapid pulse, decreased blood pressure. There may be periodic loss of consciousness, and sometimes agitation and convulsions.

Immediately after the bite, it is necessary to provide the victim with rest in a horizontal position. To slow down the spread of the poison, he should move less. The bitten leg should be bandaged to the healthy one, something should be placed under the knees and the legs should be slightly raised. The bitten hand must be fixed in a bent position.

The bite site must be disinfected. You cannot suck out the poison - if there is a small wound in the mouth or on the lip, then the poison can enter the body through it. Also, you should not apply a tourniquet above the bite site - this will worsen the victim’s condition, increase the possibility of death and can provoke gangrenous phenomena.

Contrary to popular belief, alcohol is not an antidote - on the contrary, it enhances the effect of the poison and makes it difficult to remove it from the body. The victim should be given plenty of water to drink and contact the nearest medical facility as soon as possible.

For adults and healthy person The viper's bite is not fatal. However, in case of untimely or incorrect treatment, severe complications may develop, even chronic renal failure.

If a person is bitten by a non-venomous snake - a snake or a copperhead, he still needs to immediately consult a doctor, since the bite site can fester and cause blood poisoning.

According to sanitary and epidemiological surveillance, in Russia, out of a thousand people bitten by a snake, two die; on average, per season after an encounter with snakes, about a hundred people need hospitalization, and these are mainly children and the elderly, they are the ones at risk. These data provide another reason to become familiar with the rules of behavior of people in situations of possible collision with poisonous reptiles. True, we must remember that there are not so many snakes in Russia. Among the snakes living in Russia, the following can be distinguished:

Common viper

Where can I meet you?

Forest-steppe and forest zones of Russia: swampy areas, mixed forests, clearings, near the banks of rivers and lakes. This type distributed in Siberia, in the European part of Russia, as well as in Far East(up to Sakhalin Island).

How is he behaving?

When meeting people, the common viper, like most snakes, tends to run away and attacks a person only if it feels threatened. And even in this case, the snake will warn about the attack: it will hiss and take a threatening stance.

Already ordinary

Where can I meet you?

This species is found throughout the European part of Russia. The exception is the polar regions. The common snake is common in the Far East and Siberia, as well as in the vicinity of Lake Baikal.

How is he behaving?

Absolutely safe for humans. When meeting, he tries to hide. The character is calm, balanced, and prone to domestication: in Ukraine and Belarus, snakes are specially tamed to fight mice.

Common copperhead.

Where to expect danger? Should we wait at all?

The usual habitat of the copperhead is the forests of central Russia: these snakes live on the edges of coniferous, deciduous or mixed forests. The copperhead is not poisonous and does not pose a particular danger to people.

Gyurza

Where can I meet you?

Southern Siberia.

How does he behave?

The viper is a very brave snake, but it is the first to attack a person only if he disturbs it. When unexpectedly encountered, it attacks immediately, without warning.

First aid. Instructions for use.

Minimum assistance to the victim is as follows:

• Do not worry yourself and calm the person who was bitten;
• Call doctors or arrange transportation of the bitten person to a hospital or clinic;
• Carefully examine the wound and make sure that there are signs of poisoning;
• Lay the victim down and ensure immobilization of the limb (suspension) without applying a pressure bandage;
• Give plenty of fluids if possible;

It is important to note that several factors influence the severity of the consequences of a snake bite. Among them:

• Age, body size and health status of the patient.
• Bite site.
• Snake size

What not to do if bitten by a poisonous snake or myths about snake bites.

Quite often it happens that the consequences of improper treatment of a snake bite turn out to be much more dangerous for the person bitten by the snake than the bite itself. In order not to harm the victim, remember, DO NOT:

• apply a tourniquet to the affected limb;
• cauterize the bite site;
• prick the bite site with a solution of potassium permanganate;
• make cuts;
• drink alcohol internally.

Sergey Leonidovich Panigribko, a dermatovenerologist and employee of the popular Internet portal “Med.Krug,” told us about some safety rules. “To avoid contact with a snake, remember that a snake only attacks when it feels threatened. When going on a trip to an unfamiliar area, study what snakes can be found in the area you have chosen for your hike, and take care of your equipment. If you are going to pitch a tent, do it where a snake is least likely to appear. These simple rules will protect you from a dangerous encounter with a snake.”

Equipment is the best insurance!

When planning a trip to areas where venomous snakes live, do not forget about the appropriate equipment. You need to have Wellingtons and tight trousers that should not be tight on your legs or knees. Wear thick woolen socks - this is a kind of “amulet” against a bite. You should also carry with you a sharp knife or lancet, a bandage for applying a compressive bandage, suction bulbs and antiseptics in quantities sufficient to provide emergency care, and if you visit hard-to-reach places, carry anti-snake serum with you. The most important thing is to look carefully at your step before taking the next step, because careless behavior in dangerous regions can lead to adverse consequences.

Meetings with a snake frighten absolutely everyone, although there is no reason for this: if you accidentally saw a snake, this does not mean that you are in for trouble. The snake does not attack first, but it can defend itself if it believes that it is in danger. Therefore, my advice is: do not provoke the snake under any circumstances. You should not pick up a snake to scare your friends, you should not try to catch it, just go your way, leaving the snake to do its own thing.

To be more sure, try to determine what kind of snake you are dealing with. This is not difficult to do, because the viper and the viper differ quite well from each other, and, nevertheless, any snake, if you are not an expert, must be treated with caution. The grass snake and the viper live in different biotopes and practically never meet each other.

A snake found on the bank of a river or pond, especially if it is swimming, is a real thing. If you meet a snake in a swamp or in a raspberry field, it will be a viper. On the territory of a summer cottage you can find both. Our choice, fortunately, is not so great, because in the Moscow region there is only one poisonous snake - the viper. The problem is that the viper has seven colored forms, and snakes come without spots. Vipers are most often completely black. The further north, the more such snakes, especially in the Arctic Circle, where 90% of such vipers live. The classic gray version with a black zigzag is quite common. In addition, there are copper-colored vipers, and thanks to this, the average person believes that the copperhead is a very dangerous poisonous snake, which is in fact non-venomous. Other options dangerous snakes No.

It is known that even with the bites of non-venomous snakes, the entry of saliva into the blood can cause various infections, such as banal tetanus. It's better not to touch them. There is also nothing to be afraid of snakes. We live in a country where snakes are not a national scourge. Half globe lives where when going to bed and getting out of bed, you must always check if there are snakes in your bed or slippers. There are aggressive tropical snakes that are best avoided on a narrow path.

We don't have such a problem. Our viper lives in damp, wetlands; most often you can disturb it when picking mushrooms or berries. And even in this case, you need to sit on the viper or step on it, or touch it with your hand - in short, provoke its attack.

However, if a viper has settled on your summer cottage, where there are children and dogs, and its presence causes stress for everyone, then the viper will have to be killed. Unfortunately, there are no real methods to expel snakes. Neither repellents nor ultrasonic emitters work, and there are no traps for snakes. The Japanese have been doing this for several years, maybe they will come up with something.

There are many various types snakes and it is very difficult to determine whether a snake you see in your home or garden is truly poisonous. As soon as the snake has violated the border and entered your house, you will definitely need to get rid of it, because if you do not get rid of it, the consequences can be very sad. And in order to get rid of a snake, you need to know how to do it. However, there are species of snakes that are not poisonous, but there are fewer of them than poisonous snakes. Non-venomous snakes (like poisonous ones) do not attack a person and do not try to defend themselves until he comes too close to it.

There are several homemade remedies you can use to get rid of snakes, but you must take every precaution to ensure that the snake does not crawl into your home. Most snakes are good climbers. In specialized arboreal forms, the long transverse ventral scutes on the sides are curved outward, forming two longitudinal ridges, one on each side of the abdomen. Therefore, make sure that openings, holes and possible entrances and exits for snakes are securely sealed so that even a small snake cannot enter through them.

Very often, owners of terrariums in city apartments breed such snakes as ornamental snakes because of their unusual bright color.

In general, meeting a snake in the city is, of course, more an exception than a rule. They avoid people and the noise of the city. But forests and fields are a home for snakes; during the day they sleep peacefully in shady places, and under the cover of darkness of a cool night they go hunting. If you went into nature and accidentally met a reptile, then if you follow simple rules it will not bring a person any trouble. So, what to do if you do encounter a snake?

1. The most important advice is that a meeting can be avoided, you just need to be careful and watch your step. You also need to be attentive to tree branches - snakes often sit on trees. So don't shake trees or pull branches.

2. When walking, make noise, shuffle your feet, stomp, rustle in front of you with a stick. If the snake hears that someone is approaching it, it will try to hide from you, it does not need problems, and it does not want to meet you.

3. If you find a snake, do not touch it under any circumstances or make sudden movements. In most cases, snakes are not aggressive and do not attack themselves. During the day, reptiles may be lethargic and sleepy, but this does not mean that they can be picked up and stroked.

4. When you see reptiles, stop and freeze, then slowly step back, never turn your back to the snake.

5. If you are going for a walk into unknown places, then take care of your equipment - at a minimum, you need high boots made of durable material and equally durable pants, preferably with additional protection below the knees.

6. Avoid and do not touch fallen tree trunks, stumps and stones, as these shady places are favorite refuges for snakes. As well as other dark holes and crevices between the stones, where you don’t need to put your hands either.

So now you know what to do if you encounter a snake. The most important thing is not to worry or panic, control yourself and follow these simple rules, and your vacation will not be marred by troubles.

Source: www.13.mchs.gov.ru

02.08.2014 6:41

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Our country is a fascinating event in the life of travelers. Majestic ridges, crystal clear lakes, indescribable freshness of air and endless forest expanses - once you visit these places, you will take away a baggage of memories for a lifetime. While exploring the outback of Russia, you can stumble upon different representatives animal world. Despite the fact that meeting travelers is not uncommon for them, many are far from friendly.

If an encounter with a bear or wolverine can be at least somehow predicted, due to size and behavior, then an encounter with snakes is difficult to predict. It happens that it has already taken place without your knowledge, and all you have to do is quickly and correctly assess the situation and take a number of actions aimed at maintaining your health.

The only poisonous snake living in Russia is the viper. It lives in a large part of the forest zone almost to the border with the forest-tundra. The growth of the viper population occurs at a slow pace; the appearance of cubs does not occur every year. However, once every five years there is a serpentine “boom” in the birth rate. Snake attacks on humans are rare, but this does not mean that you should be careless when walking through the forest and provoke a predatory animal.

Snakes are heat-loving creatures that love to spend time in the sun. After resting during the day, they go out at night to hunt frogs, small rodents or insects. If you block her path or initiate a “conflict,” she will try to attack. You will feel all the “delights” of a snake bite - pain, swelling, weakness, accompanied by nausea and dizziness. All this will cause cardiac dysfunction and stimulate the development of acute renal failure. Contact the ambulance quickly to get the anti-snake serum “Antigyurza”.

How to recognize a viper

Being bitten by a viper is not a pleasant prospect. To avoid this, read how to recognize it in wildlife(using the example of comparison with a snake):

. The shape of the viper’s head is spear-shaped with pronounced “brow ridges.”

. The pupils are thin horizontal lines with an iris that matches the color of the snake. Snakes have eyes similar to those of a cat.

. The shields on the snake's head have irregular shape. Three scutes located on the crown continue with scales. The snake has precisely shaped scutes that cover almost the entire head.

. It is difficult to distinguish a viper from a grass snake by the pattern on its back. Despite the fact that for the former it is a set of spots, and for the latter it is a series of zigzags, in the dark and when a snake is trying to disguise itself as a viper, distinguishing snakes is not an easy task.

. Vipers are short and thick; snakes look long and thin against their background.

. The scales of each species have a keel. In vipers it is whole, but in snakes it divides the scales in half.

. The ventral scutes from top to bottom gradually change from light to dark. In the viper, they are dark gray or black over the entire surface.

. Vipers, unlike snakes, do not feed on fish.

If you are bitten by a viper

In 99% of 100 cases, a snake bite can be avoided if you do not show aggression towards the creeping reptile. The habits of snakes are well known: having started to hiss, the viper gives a person a chance to retreat and go home. If the hint is not understood, she proceeds to active action.

Follow the following algorithm if you are bitten by a snake:

. Before you get to the nearest medical station in search of an antidote (and this must be done within an hour), squeeze out the poison that has entered the wound. There are two options: suck it out yourself or use a glass or other similar container to squeeze the substance out of the wound.

. On the way to the hospital, take Suprastin or another antiallergic drug, which allows the body to react more calmly to the irritant.

. After receiving the antidote, provide yourself with peace for several days. Drinking plenty of sweet drinks and completely abstaining from alcohol help reduce swelling.

Having received a good shake-up, the body will be less susceptible to snake venom in the future.

How to avoid meeting a viper

Viper snake attacks and bites can be avoided. To do this, you do not need to have superpowers or deep knowledge of fauna. It is enough to follow simple travel rules and have information about the habits of snakes.

Before you set off, study the features of the region and the list of its inhabitants. Having replenished your knowledge base with information about the differences between snakes, begin your journey. When moving through forested areas, avoid thickets and tall bushes. Walking along the beaten path and steppe increases the chances of a safe outcome of the trip. If a path through dense terrain cannot be avoided, test the path with a stick before you take a step.

Do not step into holes and crevices - possible habitats of poisonous vipers. Be especially careful when climbing, exploring caves, or crossing rivers. Snakes tend to climb trees, so watch what you grab onto.

Be especially careful when choosing clothes. Long trousers and high boots with closed tops increase the level of protection against bites. Avoid snake dens when setting up camp. At night, light the way with a lantern. Put your shoes in the tent and don't forget to fasten them tightly. Do not handle the snake, even if it appears dead.