|
Our world is full of biting, stinging and spitting animals that we would prefer to do
without. But since every single creature has a unique significance to our world, we have to learn how to co-exist with them. We do not have to fear large predators in
our modern world as a rule. Most wounds that are inflicted on us by insects and reptiles are quite small and insignificant in themselves. So why all the fuss? There are
two reasons. One is that the bite or sting may be poisonous. The poison causes a generalized reaction that can severely debilitate or even end in death.
The other is that some people have developed allergies against components of the poison. The bite of one tiny ant that occurs in the UAE causes only a mild irritation in
most people, but in a few others, death through shock or suffocation occurs within minutes. As with all things that can harm us, it is important to know what you are dealing with
and then to avoid the dangerous situation from developing. We learn to drive and to obey a set of rules before we go into the traffic. We follow the instructions on
leaflets before we handle electricity and chemicals. We train and learn the tricks of the trade before we go mountain climbing. The same applies to dealing with the
dangers of the desert. If you know about them and know how to avoid becoming a victim, you can enjoy the place without fear.
At the end of this article the rules to follow are listed.  Snakes are among the most feared animals on earth. Some of them have venom that is so potent that death follows within minutes. With
others it takes longer but the end result is the same. However, the majority of snakes are harmless, either possessing no poison at all or only poison that is so mild that it poses a risk
only to the snake's prey animal. How can you distinguish a dangerous snake from a harmless one? It is actually quite easy. In the UAE the harmless snakes are long, thin and fast moving and their heads
are shaped like a bullet, with a barely visible transition from the head to the body. The dangerous vipers are rarely more than 2 feet long, quite thick and slower. Their
heads are shaped like an arrowhead and there is an obvious neck separating the neck from the body.  In the UAE we have four species of poisonous land snakes.
One of these lives in the high mountains where only local residents or hikers are likely to come across it. This snake is called Pseudocerastes persicus (the Persian Horned Viper)
and it produces a neurotoxin. That is a poison that affects the motor nerves and paralyses the muscles, causing difficulty with breathing and swallowing. The snake is not very aggressive. A few
years ago hikers reported several encounters, where the snake was lying on a ledge and was actually accidentally touched, without a strike resulting.
In the lower mountains and throughout the hills and sandy areas there are three species of vipers, the sand vipers, the saw-scaled viper and the carpet viper. Of
these the saw-scaled viper is the most common and potentially dangerous. The poison of these vipers contains haemotoxins that destroy the clotting ability of the
blood, so that widespread bleeding occurs. The fatal condition develops over a period of several hours to days, and there is enough time to reach a hospital and get proper treatment.
Sea snakes that can be encountered near or on the UAE beaches in the winter months have very strong venom. Fortunately bites are extremely rare. Most sea
snakes are not aggressive and pose no danger to people. One should take care, however, not to touch the snakes washed up on the beach - they may seem dead, but often they are not. Continues >>>
|
