Dealing with dangerous snakes

Most snakes live in natural habitats like wetlands, fynbos and grasslands. In built-up city areas, snakes tend to live in more extensive natural areas but some species can survive in urban gardens. Most of these, such as the common Slug-eater are completely harmless and a great ally to the gardener.

Although many snakes are harmless, some are extremely venomous. It's important to know which ones pose the most danger to you, your family and community.

If you or someone else has been bitten by a venomous snake, you need to get to the nearest medical facility as quickly as possible. In most cases, there is a short window of a few hours before life-threatening symptoms develop. In Cape Town, we do not have a very wide range of poisonous snakes, but common ones to watch out for are the Cape Cobra, Puff Adder and the Boomslang.

Learn how to identify these:

• Cape Cobras are reddish brown to olive brown, yellowish and black.
• Puff Adders vary in colour from black to brown and have large, flattened triangular heads.
• Boomslangs have large eyes, an egg-shaped head, and are green, black or brown.

First aid for venomous snake bites

• Remain calm!
• Snakebite first aid depends on the snake’s venom and the bite symptoms. The most important thing is to act quickly and calmly and get professional help immediately.
• Try to identify the snake (take a picture or make a mental note what it looks like). This will help the medical assistant in identifying how to treat the patient.
• Call for help (ambulance) or get to a hospital as quickly as possible.
• Tygerberg Poison Information Centre’s main function is to advise health care professionals and the general public on how to deal with acute poisonings, including snake bites. In an emergency, please call the 24 hour number on 0861 555 777.

Scorpion stings

Most southern African scorpions are relatively harmless to humans, and although they can inflict quite a painful sting, no other toxic effects are expected to develop. However, a small number of scorpion species can be life threatening. Children are especially vulnerable.

Scorpions with small pincers and a thick tail are more dangerous than scorpions with large pinchers and a thin tail. Most scorpions in South Africa are harmless, but the sting of one of the thick-tailed scorpions (Parabuthus sp.) can be life threatening.

If stung by a scorpion:

• Remain calm!
• Call for help (ambulance) or get to a hospital as quickly as possible.
• Tygerberg Poison Information Centre’s main function is to advise health care professionals and the general public on how to deal with acute poisonings, including snake bites. In an emergency, please call the 24 hour number on 0861 555 777.

See our Emergency numbers.

Get help

For bites: call the Tygerberg Poison Centre’s 24-hour number on 0861 555 777.

Snake removal
To have a snake removed in Cape Town phone Shaun McLeod on 082 532 5033 or 021 945 4701. If it is close to a City of Cape Town Nature Reserve, our staff can assist with removals. See all our nature reserves for contact details.

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