Date: 2006-01-10
To: bits and bites
Miles today: 0.0

Today I was asked if there are snakes on the trail. Though I remebered having seen some pictures on trailjournals I had to admit my ignorance on that topic. As there are no snakes or predators in Germany, exept a few wolves and lynxes in certain remote parts of the National Park of the Bavarian Woods one has hardly to deal with that subject. The highest chance getting hurt by an animal is to come too close to one of those overbred German Shepards. The most dangerous animal encounter I personaly had while hiking was a cow attack as I crossed a pasture but I'm not sure if I can count this one as a ferocious beast (even though she had a malicious expression in her eyes while she lied in wait for me). So I spent an hour looking for informations about snakes and what I found made me not feeling comfortable."Georgia is fortunate to have among the highest biodiversity of snakes in the United States with 40 species. Snakes can be found from the mountains of northern Georgia to the barrier island along the Atlantic coast. The rich diversity of snake species in Georgia makes this region ideal for observing and learning about the snakes that share the area with us."Absolutely fabulous - just the piece of information that made my day. Unfortunately I have no intention to visit Georgia for that purpose. But the next paragraph made me feel a little easier."Of Georgia's 40 different species of snakes, only six are venomous."Copperhead Canebrake or Timber Rattlesnake Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Pigmy Rattlesnake Cottonmouth Eastern Coral SnakesOk, 6 out of 40, that sounds better to me. But I have serious doubts if I will be able to distinguish the "brave" from the "evil" reptile when my eyes are almost popping out of my head and my heartrate starts skyrocketing. So how to avoid getting bitten by one of the dangerous ones? And what's the probability of snakebite?"Venomous snakes of Georgia and South Carolina pose little threat to humans who learn to observe them but otherwise leave them alone. More than half of U.S. snakebite victims were bitten while handling the snake, and more than two-thirds saw the snake before being bitten, but attempted to kill, capture, or harass it. Or they failed to move away or maintain a safe distance. In most of these situations, snakebite would have been easily prevented by exercising good judgment. Never pick up a snake unless you are absolutely certain it is non-venomous. "Well, that's the easy part! Not for love or money would I ever attempt to catch or pick up one of this slimy little beasts - venomous or not.(Ok, I know in fact they are not slimy, but you can't beat a healthy prejudice). So howabout an unintentional interference?"Certain activities can increase one¢s chance of getting bitten by a venomous snake. Logs, vegetation, rocks, and other materials provide shelter to snakes and the food they eat. Be cautious when moving such materials and avoid placing your hands or feet where a snake could be hiding. Proper footwear, such as leather boots, can provide protection from snakebites by preventing the fangs of a snake from coming into contact with your feet or legs."Ouch! Seems like hiking is one of those "certain activities". Avoiding to place my hands or feet where a snake could be hiding could become a little difficult. How will I know if a snake of all things has choosen to rest under the stump I will put my bum on for a little rest? But after all the next part sounds encouraging."Outside temperatures affect the activity of snakes. Because they cannot generate their own body heat like mammals and birds can, snakes remain relatively inactive when it is too cold." Who ever could have imagined that one day I would be grateful for cold weather? But what to do in the worst case? The instructions they give are: The DO's: "Try to stay calm!" Ha ha, a good one. "Get to the nearest hospital or emergency medical facility immediately." Oh, no problem. It's only 10 miles - uphill. The DONT's: "Do not run or engage in strenuous physical activity. " Ok, I will take the bus. Where is the next bus station? What? Next to the hospital? Shit happens! And it closes: "Lightning kills many more people every year than snakes do, and the probability of dying in a car accident far exceeds the chance of even being bitten by a venomous snake." I would agree on the probability to be strucked by lightning, especially if you are hiking on ridges while a thunderstorm hits, but the chance to be run over while hiking in the woods seems to be a little exaggerated. But it goes on: "By one account, several thousand people are bitten by venomous snakes each year in the United States, but fewer than 10 of these bites actually result in deaths. Also, as many as half of all bites by venomous snakes are mild or ¢dry¢ bites in which little or no venom is injected."This is definetly a piece of information that puts me at ease. The odds for my plane to crash into the Atlantic Ocean are probably higher than a deadly snakebite (oh, I probably shoudn't say that. My fear of flying won't get any better at the thought of this ). But if it comes to odds it's a bit tricky. You never believe to win the lottery - until you hit the jackpot. source: http://www.uga.edu/srel/snakebrochure.htm Nuts